Mombasa Port Loses Business as Exporters Opt for Dar es Salaam

--

Kenya Port Authority (KPA) is losing business to rival Dar es Salaam port as delay in cargo clearance in Mombasa prompts traders from neighbouring countries to turn to Tanzania.

Data from KPA shows that the Mombasa port handled 18.9 per cent less or 552,449 tonnes of cargo from Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and the DRC in the nine months to September.

As a result, the port relied on Uganda and South Sudan—that have little choice on their logistic corridor—to grow its export cargo volumes to 3.9 million tonnes in the nine months compared to 3.8 million tonnes in the same period last year.

Shippers attribute the trend to the shorter period it takes to transport cargo from the port of Dar es Salaam compared to Mombasa which is facing congestion that has seen transporters take more than a month to reach Rwanda from three weeks.

“We are losing business to Tanzania because of inefficiency at the port,” said Gerald Kagumo, the vice chairman of East Africa Freight Forwarders Association.

For source and more CLICK HERE

Kwa hisani ya Kaka Michuzi

Polisi Kenya Watoa Onyo Kuhusu Nairobi na Mombasa!

SECURITY UPDATE - PLACES YOU SHOULD AVOID IN NAIROBI

ALERT:

Police have issued a statement giving areas, we should avoid in Nairobi and Mombasa.

In Nairobi

Avoid Corner House, Burger Dome, Ambassadeur Hotel, Akamba Bus, Marble Arch Hotel, River Road, Bus Station and Betty’s Pub.

In Mombasa:

Be on the lookout the Mtongwe ferry and Nakumatt Nyali.

If you must be in these places, be on high alert for suspicious activity or characters.


Report anything un-toward by calling 999 or 112.
The calls go directly to Vigilance House.

Listen to the radio (esp. 98.4 Capital FM Radio Jambo) for more updates as they come.

Stay Safe!

SA Divers Unable to Reach Sunken MV Spice Islander

Yaani samahani, lakini hao divers wanaonekana kama watalii wakiogelea beach! Vifaa vyao vya diving viko wapi! Na eti Submarine haiwezi kuja mpaka mwezi wa 6 mwakani mpaka tume iundwe, KHAA?  Ina maana hata kama kuna maiti huko, zitakuwa zimekwisha liwa  na samaki na kubakia nguo zao tu!

*******************************************************************************

South African divers spotted on Tumbatu Island yesterday preparing to begin searching for bodies of Zanzibar marine tragedy victims still unaccounted for. (Photo: Khalfan Said)

Kutoka IPPMEDIA.com

SA divers fail to reach sunk MV Spice Islander


By The guardian reporter

15th September 2011
South African divers spotted on Tumbatu Island yesterday preparing to begin searching for bodies of Zanzibar marine tragedy victims still unaccounted for. (Photo: Khalfan Said)Efforts to reach the sunken MV Spice Islander lying 360 metres deep in the water at Nungwi proved futile yesterday after divers discovered that the equipment they had could only go down 54metres.

The information dashed any hopes of the divers from South Africa reaching the boat to see if there were any more bodies trapped inside.

The Head of the Operation Colonel Joachim Zakaria said the divers informed them of the technical hitch, adding: “We have been informed by the head of divers from South Africa that he had communicated with his colleague on the possibility of bringing in a submarine and a special vessel for scanning the area of the accident but the process will be pending until June next year,” he said.

The scanning vessel has the capability to locate the area where the boat has sunk, making it easier to reach it by a submarine.

He was speaking to The Guardian yesterday aboard the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces Kasa boat which has docked between Tumbatu and Mwana Mwana Islands, to coordinate the diving operation which started on Tuesday, involving a group 22 divers from South Africa, TPDF and KMKM.

He said what they were doing currently was to go through the coastal areas of Tanga to Mombassa to establish if there were any more bodies and property which have been left out.

“Where the boat capsized is the route for marine vessels, thus it is the responsibility of the divers to clear it to avoid other accidents,” Colonel Zakaria said.

“What our colleagues are doing now in collaboration with Tanzanian divers is not to reach the sunken boat, but to ensure that the area is cleared,” said the Operations Assistant Colonel Joel Makunde.
A Commander of the South Africa Divers brigade Wyne Combrick said TPDF has asked them to remain for two weeks, to clear the area.

“The exercise is going on well although we have not managed to reach the capsized boat. We are proceeding with the work of ensuring the area surrounding the scene is cleared.

The MV Spice Islander capsized and sunk on Saturday on its way to Pemba from Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar.

According to the government report 202 people have so far been confirmed dead, while over 600 survived. Hundreds of people are still looking for missing relatives who were on the boat.

The death toll has risen slightly from 197 to 202 after five bodies were found along the shores of Mombasa in Kenya on Tuesday.