enya Ports Authority has updated its Master Plan to provide a long term development programme aimed at aligning its business plan with vision 2030.
Addressing Senior KPA Managers who were attending a business plan workshop at a Mombasa Hotel recently, the Acting Managing Director Mr. Gichiri Ndua said the Authority will continue to provide operational excellence through modernization and expansion of port facilities.
Other measures geared towards supporting the country’s development goals included involvement of public private partnership in the development of port infrastructure and provision of services, dredging of port to allow larger vessels to the port and benchmarking of facilities and services with international standards.
The participants were urged to critically examine business plan strategies that will focus on increasing the capacity to improve efficiency and competitiveness of the port. “In addition, this plan should enhance port productivity, increase market share and ensure safety and security of the port,” he said.
The Managing Director also asked the team to redouble their efforts to improve port operations and ensure efficient service delivery. He emphasized the need to identify challenges that were likely to affect the performance of the port in the future and put in place strategies to mitigate against them.
The two day business plan workshop was organized to define business objectives and goals of the organization.
KPA EMERGES AMONG THE BEST IN PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS
The recently released report on evaluation of the performance of public agencies for the year 2008/2009 placed Kenya Ports Authority in position 13 overall out of 139 state corporations that were evaluated. In the commercial and manufacturing category, the organization stood at position 5 out of 29 state corporations.
The performance contract in management of the public service was introduced in 2003 aimed at rationalizing governance and ensuring that public institution work better and cost less.
ENVOY COMMENDS KPA
The Kenya Ports Authority has tremendously improved the operations of the port of Mombasa in the last five years to internationally acceptable standards. This was said by the Deputy Ambassador of the Royal Embassy of Netherlands to Kenya His Excellency Hans Bucter when he visited the port last week.
The Ambassador who was received by the Harbour Master, Capt. Twalib Khamis on behalf of the acting Managing Director noted that the port of Mombasa has now attained high levels of efficiency in cargo handling and documentation processes thanks to the Authority’s investment in information and communications technology. He was particularly impressed by the planned developments for the port.
Capt. Khamis informed the visitors that KPA was embarking on major development projects that included the construction of a second container terminal, dredging of the channel and the conversion of berths 11 to 14 to a container terminal. Other projects include the creation of a Free Trade zone at Dongo Kundu and the construction of a by-pass to the South Coast.
Mr. Hans was accompanied by Mr. Mansour Abader, a market advisor to the Netherlands government in charge of the Africa region, Ms. Corine Abbas, the Second Secretary, Trade and Private Sector Development, and Mr. Paul KRIJNEN who is the Consular of the Netherlands Government based in Mombasa.
The team was here to learn about the port development and to evaluate business opportunities that exist in the port for Dutch firms. There has been good relations between KPA and Dutch firms.
NEW CRUISE LINER TARGETS LOCAL MARKET
POTENTIAL cruise ship passengers in the East Africa region can now cruise at affordable rates following the launch of a new cruise ship, PV Ocean Mist.
The luxurious passenger vessel is a 204 bed capacity floating hotel with approximately 120 crew and 102 cabins. She will be cruising between the port of Mombasa and the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, Seychelles and Mauritius. The liner’s maiden voyage was on 1st may and recorded overwhelming bookings.
The cruise liner comes into the market at a time when there is a lull in cruise shipping due to piracy and will therefore go a long way in boosting cruise tourism in the region using as she uses Mombasa as home port.
The Port of Mombasa has always been the preferred port of call due to its proximity to touristic attractions, good weather, scenic entrances and it is also well positioned between South Africa port of Durban and the major ports up North.