LAMU, Kenya, Aug 19 — At least nine ships are scheduled to dock at the Port of Lamu this month, signalling the facility’s growing role in East Africa’s seaborne trade as smaller regional ports report congestion, officials said.
Lamu Port General Manager Capt. Abdulaziz Mzee said operations are being scaled up as more international carriers book calls to drop cargo at the deep-water harbour. “We are working round the clock to ensure the Port of Lamu performs its role. The port’s natural depth and larger turning basin are attracting many shipping lines that have made enquiries to sail here,” he said.
Vessels lined up for August include CMA CGM Saigon, Stephanie C, Onego Buran, Lobivia, Myny, CMA CGM Kailas Derby D and CMA CGM Tarragona, among others. The schedule comes days after Lamu received MV Nagoya Express—a 335-metre container ship and the longest to call in East African waters—which lifted transshipment cargo bound for New York, shortly after the arrivals of MV Lobivia and CMA CGM Gulf Express.
Capt. Mzee said enquiries have come from leading global carriers, including Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Maersk. Locally, Spears Shipping Contractors Ltd has announced that, through its new subsidiary Spears Point Maritime Ltd in association with Ikram Sealine of Zanzibar, it will venture onto the Lamu route.
Maritime analyst and former Seafarers Union of Kenya secretary-general Andrew Mwangura said the surge in calls underscores Lamu’s potential to reshape regional trade flows. He noted that the trend reflects a wider shift in global logistics towards scale and efficiency, while flagging open questions around Lamu’s readiness as a premier transshipment hub—such as specialised infrastructure (including dedicated livestock berths), deteriorating road connectivity, and linkages to the AfCFTA, the LAPSSET Corridor and the Northern Corridor.
“The increase in vessel traffic at Lamu Port is no accident. Designed to handle ultra-large vessels that Mombasa cannot accommodate due to its 323-metre turning basin, Lamu’s deep-water berths and 400-metre turning basin offer greater capacity,” Mwangura said, adding that Kenya Ports Authority has invested in high-capacity ship-to-shore gantry cranes to improve efficiency and attract international carriers.
