Operations at the Port of Mombasa will not be disrupted by partial lockdowns imposed in five countries because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Kenya Port Authority (KPA). The acting managing director of KPA Rashid Salim said that as an essential service provider, the port’s operations will continue round the clock.
He told the media, “The port of Mombasa has since 2020 adopted new measures within its operations in order to reduce employees, customers or business partners’ exposure to the disease. As a port we are committed to handling all categories of cargo including imports, exports, transit and transshipment to all destinations.”
Earlier this month, it was reported that the port of Mombasa could be under the control of the Chinese if Kenya defaults on the Sh364 billion SGR loan. A parliamentary report by the Auditor General revealed that the assets of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) were used as collateral for the SGR loans.
“The agreement provides that each of the borrowers agree that any proceedings against them or their assets (present or future) in connection with the agreement, no immunity from such proceedings shall be claimed by it or with respect to its assets and they irrevocably waive any right of immunity whether characterized as sovereign immunity or otherwise,” said the report.
Mombasa port demonstrated steady operations amid the Covid-19 pandemic last year There was a slight variance in the number of vessels arriving each week, however, the cargo volumes in Mombasa port remains high compared to the previous year, according to KPA.