KPA Acquires Ksh 3.3 Billion Gantry Cranes

By Tobby Otum

The three new ship to shore gantry cranes acquired by the Kenya Ports Authority are intended to improve productivity at the port of Mombasa. 

  KPA General Manager Engineering Service Javan Wanga said the acquisition of the equipment is in line with the government’s vision 2030.

He added the additional equipment will play a big role in positioning the port of Mombasa as a major harbour in the region.

“The specification of the acquired equipment was done by the authority’s local engineers,” he pointed out.
Wanga said he expects the equipment to handle more than 500,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) annually when they become operational.

He was speaking to journalists during the reception of the equipment along berth number 22 at the second container terminal at the port of Mombasa in Mombasa county.

The KPA officer argued at the moment the authority handles 1.2 million TEUs annually.

He told journalists the additional equipment will make the authority handle an additional 50 per cent of cargo and containers at the port of Mombasa.

“The authority has other complementary equipment apart from the three newly acquired ones,” he added.
The KPA officer disclosed the equipment which were shipped from Japan can handle vessels which have 18 containers abreast.

Wanga told journalists the offloading of the three equipment from MV Big Lift Baffin will take two months before they are commissioned.

“The arrival of the three ship to shore gantry cranes brings the number of the equipment to seven,” he said.

The KPA officer disclosed the new equipment were meant for the second container terminal.

Wanga said the authority spent Sh 3.3 billion to buy the equipment with each costing Sh 1.1 billion adding that plans are at an advanced stage to acquire more such equipment for berth number 23.

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