Kenya’s Port of Mombasa has recorded impressive growth in cargo handling for the year 2024, with 41.1 million tons of cargo passing through the country’s main seaport.
Managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Captain William Kipkemboi Ruto said the growth marked a significant increase of 5.1 million tons (14.1 percent), compared to the 35.98 million tons handled in 2023.
In terms of container traffic, Mombasa Port achieved a major milestone, surpassing 2 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) for the first time in over a decade. A total of 2,005,076 TEUs were handled in 2024, reflecting a notable 23.5 percent increase from 1,623,080 TEUs recorded in 2023.
Imports saw a growth of 7.2 percent, reaching 768,088 TEUs, while exports rose by 6.6 percent, totaling 731,934 TEUs. Additionally, transit cargo volumes rose by 17.4 percent, reaching 13.4 million tons, underscoring the port’s key role in regional trade.
Uganda remains the largest transit destination for the Port of Mombasa, handling 8,811,289 tons in 2024, an increase of 23.8 percent from the previous year. Other major transit destinations include South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
The port also saw a remarkable 132.9 percent increase in transshipment traffic, reaching 491,666 TEUs, largely attributed to vessel diversions caused by the Red Sea crisis and an uptick in vessel calls driven by faster turnaround times.
In December 2024 alone, Mombasa Port handled 3,746,363 tons of cargo, a 23.7 percent rise compared to the previous year. December transshipment traffic also showed strong growth, increasing by 25.8 percent to reach 42,681 TEUs. Transit traffic in December rose by 22.2 percent, reaching 1,184,541 tons.
The Managing Director of KPA credited the port’s success to ongoing improvements in infrastructure, equipment, and operational systems. These upgrades have positioned Mombasa Port as East Africa’s leading trade gateway, attracting major shipping lines and enabling the port to serve as a critical transshipment hub for the region.
“Our continued investments in modernization and operational efficiency are key to sustaining the Port of Mombasa’s upward trajectory,” said the managing director.
