Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) is banking on the South Korean market to increase revenue and remain competitive within the region.
This was disclosed when the Korea Marine Transport Container (KMTC) Shipping Line deployed its first-ever vessel to the African continent choosing the Port of Mombasa as the first port of call.
MV KMTC Hochmanh made a maiden call yesterday with 1,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the local and transit market, affirming the strategic position of the port as a shipping and maritime hub and a preferred port of call for shipping lines.
Kenya ports Authority Managing Director William Ruto who held a brief ceremony to welcome the new vessel said the call also signals the growth of the region and the country as the traffic in cargo volumes increases.
“This is a welcome development and an affirmation of the consistent initiatives to improve capacity and efficiency at the port. When shipping lines come it means traffic is growing and the Port has enough resources to serve the growing demand,” he said.
Mayur Udyawar, KMTC General Manager noted that the shipping line chose Kenya as the gateway through Africa as it looks to expand its operations and business in the continent. “We opted for the Port of Mombasa because of its productivity and efficiency since we started operations in 2021,” he said during a media briefing held at Berth no.22.
