The resumption of port traffic in 2023 has led to an increase in flows on the Kenyan rail network. A dynamic that the authorities would like to maintain to increase the competitiveness of the port of Mombasa.

Kenya's Ministry of Transport and port and railway authorities have unveiled 430 railcars received from China to bolster the country's freight fleet. The batch includes 230 wagons for the SGR network, and 200 units for the metric gauge line.

This delivery is part of a 500-car order book, and comes just a few weeks after the delivery of the first 50 cars. The order covers 300 units designed for operations on the SGR line, and 200 for metric gauge lines.

According to the master plan of the port and rail authorities, the rails should serve as the main logistical support for activities at the port of Mombasa, in order to reduce the congestion that has increased in recent years.

"Given that Kenya's economy is one of the most dynamic in the region, we need to make strategic investments in the transport and logistics sector to ensure that goods are transported efficiently and effectively," said Minister Mr. Daghar.

The commissioning of the new railcars should boost the competitiveness of the port of Mombasa, which is experiencing a recovery in traffic after several years of declining volumes due to congestion.

According to Kenya Railways Corporation statistics for 2023, the flow of goods via the rail network showed a 21% increase for the metric railway, with 1,000,955 tonnes transported compared with almost 787,000 tonnes in 2022, while on the SGR lines, 6.53 million tonnes were transported compared with 6.09 million tonnes in 2022.

Agence Ecofin