MOMBASA PORT CORRIDOR UNDERGOES REVIEW

Friday, 06 July 2018 05:04:06

The process of Reviewing and developing a new Port charter is currently underway. 

The process of Reviewing and developing a new Port charter is currently underway. The Steering Committee of the Charter Retreated to Galian Hotel, Machakos on 26th and 27th June 2018 with the purpose of receiving, reviewing, discussing and adopting the report of the Consultant in preparation for submission to the charter stakeholders for validation, adoption and launch for the new charter. The focus the review was to come up with a clear Structure, Performance parameters, monitoring and evaluation, communication strategy, Alignment of signatories, Responsibility, ownership and Sustainability of the charter. 

Key focus was placed on changes that have happened in the Corridor Transport and Logistics sector have far reaching impact the operating environment. Key among them in the changes in the infrastructure and Port and corridor operations arising from the following:

1. Implementation of ICMS and Roll out of the Single window system and related automated systems
2. SGR and ICDN capacity enhancement and the impact of executive policy to ensure optimum usage of the investment and the resultant impact on the predictability , contractual and shipper responsibility
3. Role of CFS, Shipping lines, Agents and road Transport in the new operating environment
4. More enlightened shippers/cargo owner with sensitivity for cost, Time and complexity indicators
5. Government BIG 4 agenda- Transport and logistics as an enabler in achieving the agenda
   1. Manufacturing
   2. Job Creation
   3. Universal Health Care
   4. Affordable Housing
   5. Role of National Trade Facilitation Committee in the Port Charter and Transit arrangement. Role of Ministry responsible for Trade and The Department of Transport
   6. Role of Transit countries in the Charter Processes
   7. Role of Counties along the Corridor
   8. The space for MoC in the Charter and the overall Regulatory environment for Maritime and transport Trade and supply chain systems
   9. Defining core Charter implementers and interested parties

The new charter is expected to provide a framework that will support regulation of performance by the cargo interveners. The role of the private sector MUST be entrenched in the regulatory functions of Kenya Maritime Authority and the charter process. Core government institutions in the charter are expected to allocate resources in complementary to the Development Partner support from Trademark EA to ensure that the functions, role and effectiveness of the steering committee is attained and implemented. This includes Gazettement of the role and function of the committee with requisite resources to undertake independent Monitoring and report to the relevant executive levels in Government.

With the implementation of the Charter, there has been a paradigm shift by government and Private sector interveners to focus on trade facilitation resulting to Kenya’s improved WB 2016 LPI, 32 places from 74 to 42 among 160 countries.

The SCEA 2017 Logistics performance Survey (LPS) indicates a reduction in Road freight by 33%, 42% in truck turnaround time minimum or no waiters at the port of Mombasa.:

The Steering Committee members drawn from SCEA, KMA, KPA, NCTTCA, TMEA, KSAA, KenTrade and KRA have continued to do a starting job done for the last three years. The support from TMEA and KMA in providing resources to support the M&E framework has improved the quality of monitoring and Reporting with the Northern Corridor Secretariat providing weekly key performance indicators Monitoring through the Dashboard