President William Ruto has ordered a sweeping operational overhaul at the Port of Mombasa, directing all Partner Government Agencies involved in cargo clearance to shift to 24/7 operations effective immediately.
The mandate, issued during a stakeholder engagement forum at the port last weekend, covers the Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya Revenue Authority, and National Transport and Safety Authority. Private financial institutions with critical roles in the trade process chain have also been urged to align their service hours to match the round-the-clock port schedule.
Weighbridge Consolidation Along Northern Corridor
Addressing long-standing complaints from transporters, Ruto announced a compression of the weighbridge inspection regime along the Northern Corridor. Cargo destined for transit markets will now be weighed only twice: at the point of entry, either at the port or Mariakani, and at the point of exit through the Malaba border.
The change responds to stakeholder concerns about multiple weighbridge stops, Cess fees levied by county governments, and safety disruptions along the corridor that have inflated transit times and costs for freight operators.
Bunkering Controls and Interagency Coordination
Ruto also directed the Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Revenue Authority to develop joint control mechanisms for bunkering services supplied to vessels calling at Kenyan ports. The measures aim to prevent customs duty leakage while ensuring adequate fuel availability at the port.
The directives emerge from an Intergovernmental Steering Committee on Ease of Doing Business, established in May under the leadership of three Cabinet Secretaries: Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads and Transport), Moses Kuria (Investment, Trade and Industry), and Salim Mvurya (Mining, Maritime and Blue Economy). The committee was tasked with identifying coordination failures, role duplication, and regulatory obstacles that have constrained port efficiency.
The announcement coincided with the docking of MV Norwegian Dawn, a cruise vessel signaling growing maritime traffic through the port. Ruto framed the operational reforms as essential to capitalizing on increased shipping activity and strengthening Kenya's position as a regional trade hub.