Kenya Ports Authority has over the years invested massive resources to build capacities of the port facilities to meet market demands and remain competitive in the ever-dynamic shipping and maritime industry.
Situated in Manda Bay Lamu, the Port of Lamu has been constructed to modern standards complete with superior infrastructure, at par with the most contemporary and best performing ports in the world. Comprehensive surveys carried out prior to construction confirmed the site to be the most suitable for the facility, due to its natural depth of 18 metres along the main channel to 60 metres at the bay.
The port is a major component of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor project and the second commercial port in the country. Through the LAPSSET project, the port will be connected to an extensive new transport corridor that comprises roads network, Standard Gauge Railway, oil pipeline, oil refinery, international airport and resort cities. The first three berths of the envisaged 23 berths port are already complete with operations at berth one dedicated for containerized cargo underway. The multipurpose port comprises modern berths for handling containerized, general cargo, liquid bulk, coal, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and product oil. Each berth has a quay length measuring 400 metres with a depth of minus 17.5 metres capable of comfortably docking panamax and post panamax vessels with a capacity of over 10,000 TEUs. The port which is among the biggest in the African continent, is strategically located at the middle of major shipping routes with the deep-water harbour on the east coast of Africa, thus being a premier transshipment hub for all cargo destined for the continent.