The New Lamu Port
Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET)
Brief History
It is clear, that Mombasa Port in the long run will not be able to handle the cargo volumes to sustain Kenyan and Central African/sub Saharan development. In 2011 the Kenya Government with financing from the Japanese Government commissioned a study to link a new port at Lamu with South Sudan and Ethiopia in order to overcome the envisioned overloading of Mombasa Port.
The only physically sensible position for a new harbor was Manda Bay in Lamu County. Because of its sheltered bay, wide access and depth it is the only sensible choice. Already in the 1990ties, the Kenyan Navy established a jetty, Naval Station with an airstrip at Magagoni at Manda Bay.
The original feasibility study was undertaken by BAC/GKA JV Company. Their effort culminated in the comprehensive, at the time futuristic LAPSSET master plan. (a full copy you find here LAPSSET Planning)
Hoever, as time went by, realty and financial restraints set in. Environmental aspects had to be considered and a major shift in technology occurred. As a result a second study was undertaken to adjust LAPSSET Transport Plan and adjust it to the new realities.
The result is a toned down version of the original plan with some significant changes that will have a major impact on Lamu Archipelago.
Current Planning
Major changes to the original planning:
- The Joint Forces Military Base at Magogoni will stay for the foreseeable future where it is.
- Lamu Port will be reduced to 16 Berths
- There will be 8 berth on the Southern side of the bay and 8 berths on the northern side of the Manda Bay
- The Southern Berths are supposed to be “clean” berths.
- In the foreseeable future, there will no new airport, rather Manda Airport will receive a major upgrade. It will be linked via a bridge to the mainland and the Port Area
- It is unlikely, that due to shift away from fossil fuels to electrically operated transport the oil refinery will be built. Like wise is the Oil Pipeline from South Sudan and Turkana in question with all its infrastructure at the New Lamu Port.
- The planned SGR rail link will not run through Isiolo, but along the coast past Garsen, Malindi, Kilifi and will most like ling to the SGR line to Nairobi at Mariakani
- Ethopia has pledged to buy one complete berth of the first three berths to commissioned later this year.
Note By : The planned Coal Power Plant was never part of LAPSSET – However it has been stopped for now for environmental reasons.
Major components of the LAPSSET transport corridor and its subsidiaries are already in place or nearing completion:
- Lamu Port Headquarters area has been established with it auxiliaries like police station and Cicil Servant Quarters.
- The first three berths are nearing completion : Berth 1 – 100 % complete, Berth 2 – 80 % complete, Berth 3 – 60 % complete
- The 4 lane access Road from the Lamu Malindi Road to the Port Area to the port is completed
- The Tramac Road Mokowe Jetty – Hindi – Mpeketoni – Witu – Garsen (120 KM) is 80 % complete
- The area is fully planned and has a fully developed electricity network
- The transfer of the Government Office from Lamu Island to Mokowe’s New Government Quarter is about 80 % complete
- Upgrade of Manda Airport is at tendering stage
- Link road and Bridge Lamu Port to Manda Island and Airport is approaching in finance stage
The Lamu Port and its Area
There are a lot of critics and concern about the Port Development. Often they are justified. Equaly often critics tend not to see the larger picture and cant or do not want to understand the significance this development will have for Kenya and the East African Region.
It is of no use to look into the short term future, but we have no choice as to look to medium and long term prospects. Lamu Port and the LAPSSET Corridor will need to perform a critical role in the future development of Kenya and the Region. They will bring infrastructure, trade and security into areas that have been void of development since independence.
Lamu Port
Lamu Port will be the first deep water trans-shipment port on the entire East African Indian Ocean Shoreline.
What does this mean? Goods are transported around the world in ships, either in containers or as bulk. The sheer amount of container that is being transported has called for an ever increasing size of ships carrying them.
Currently containers coming from Asia designated for East Africa have to be off- loaded in the Gulf of Oman or Djibuti to be reloaded onto smaller Carriers that can enter a harbor like Mombasa, the major constrictions being length, width and draft of the vessel. The process is called Trans-Shipment. It is time and cost intensive, since sometimes 1000 container on a ship have to be restacked to reach the one to be off loaded.
With Lamu Port becoming operational, goods from around world can be offloaded in Lamu or trans-shipped in Lamu (a value adding services !) Transport cost for import and exports to and fro Kenya and East Africa will drop significantly.
There also will be a lot of future requirements that the new Lamu Port will need to satisfy.
Just as one example
In the near future wood imports from Central Africa will be banned, as the resource of the Congo Basin is not sustainable. The timbers currently used are already on the ICNU (ICNU) watch list and will be banned from logging soon. Soon the entire commercial timber requirement of an ever growing building sector in East Africa will have to resort to timbers from a sustainable source.
Kenya does not have any plantations that are sustainable and grow species that are suitable for the purpose. As a result within the next maximum 10 years all timbers will have to be imported, and by nature of size, weight and quantity shipped. Processing industry will have to relocate to shorten transport ways and to adapt to new technologies.
Currently the only available Harbor in Kenya for this will be Lamu.
Lamu Port Area
Other than Mombasa Port, Lamu Port is green site development witrh ample preplanned processing and production spaces and attached infrastructure. There are designated zones for heavy , medium and light industry. A road network with sufficient capacity electricity and amenities. Already now a lot support infrastructure like petrol stations, hotels and the likes are under construction along the transport corridors.
Property in the Lamu Port Area
Most property in all zones and areas are privately owned. It is important for an interested person or potential buyer, first to identify his needs. Lamu Realty will be happy to assist you in finding the right property for you ! These properties are not listed or advertised currently, at present we have to locally inquire, find the owners and make an offer.
Lamu Realty will be happy to assist you. We are working hard on establishing a listing for port properties.
Talk to us Today
- Plot 43, Ras Kitau – Lamu
- +254 723 522131
- info@lamurealty.co.ke
