Kenya Port Authority aqcuires Sh1.4B boat for use at Port of Lamu

Kenya Ports Authority has acquired a new tugboat to exclusively serve the Port of Lamu in marine and luggage services.

According to a statement from KPA, the Azimuth Stern Driven (ASD) tugboat has been christened MV Pate after one of the Lamu Islands.

The vessel, which was acquired for Sh1.4 billion boasts a bollard pull of 85 tons and a length overall of 29 metres.

It is fitted with two Caterpillar main engine series, a Rolls Royce propulsion system, modern winches and a firefighting system.

Kenya Port Authority aqcuires Sh1.4B boat for use at Port of Lamu Pulse Live Kenya

MV Pate shall be able to handle port and marine operations safely and efficiently and is estimated to serve the port for 20 years.

KPA also announced that it is expecting that a total of 37 vessels will call the Port of Mombasa in the next two weeks.

Out of the 37, Kenya expects 15 conventional cargo vessels handling both motor vehicle units and other loose cargo 19 container ships and three oil tankers.

Kenya Port Authority aqcuires Sh1.4B boat for use at Port of Lamu Pulse Live Kenya

In 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched operations at the newly built Port of Lamu.

The launch followed the arrival of the port’s first ship MV CAP Carmel which was followed by another Mv Seago Bremerhaven.

MV CAP Carmel started its voyage from Dar es Salaam to the Kenyan coast 8 days ago on May 11, 2021, and arrived ahead of the commissioning on May 20.

The container ship which was built in 2003 is sailing under the flag of Singapore and is operated by Maersk Shipping and Logistics, the world’s largest shipping line.

First commercial ship MV CAP Carmel makes her maiden call at Lamu Port Pulse Live Kenya

The two ships will be carrying avocados and an assortment of goods and signalled the start of operations after President Kenyatta commissioned the first berth at Lamu Port.

Lamu Port will be able to handle bigger ships due to its superior berths that are 400 metres long compared to Mombasa’s 350 metres.

Once all the phases are complete, the port will have 32 berths, making it the largest in sub-Saharan Africa.