We are Ready to Receive oil Vessels at Night-KPA
No more oil tankers will incur demurrage charges while waiting to discharge oil at the port of Mombasa.
Kenya Ports Authority [KPA] Managing Director Captain William Ruto said this was as a result of breaking of safety measures put in place.
He said this has led to the construction of the new Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT) facility at the port.
“There are enough safety measures in place that have allowed the authority to take night piloting,” he pointed out.
Ruto said the authority’s pilots have undergone training to navigate oil tankers at night outside the port.
He was addressing the media when he navigated the first MV Spetses Lady at the new Kipevu Oil Terminal at the port of Mombasa in Mombasa county. He was flanked by KPA chief plot captain Nicholas Wambyakaley and Lamu chief captain Abdulaziz Mzee.
The KPA MD said he has also undergone training and argued the move is a breakthrough which will reduce the cost of doing business for oil marketers at the port of Mombasa.
Ruto said this was in line with the complaints from oil marketers whose vessels have been incurring demurrage charges while waiting outside the port.
He pointed out the sector would incur a huge cost for a similar vessel to wait before docking and discharging the product.
“The KPA will reduce the cost of demurrage to oil imports estimated to be between 25 to 50 dollars per day,” he pointed out.