Kenya’s ports are set for a busy two weeks, with 51 vessels scheduled to dock at the Port of Mombasa and the Port of Lamu between September 15 and September 30, 2026.
The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) said the vessels will deliver a wide range of cargo, including containers, petroleum products, fertiliser, wheat, rice, vehicles and steel coils.
The schedule highlights the continued role of Kenya’s two major seaports in handling imports destined for the domestic market and neighbouring countries.
Mombasa to handle majority of vessels
Mombasa will receive the bulk of the expected traffic, with 42 vessels scheduled to call at the port during the 14-day period.
The vessels comprise 22 container ships, 12 conventional cargo vessels, four car carriers and four oil tankers.
The four tankers are expected to carry Base Oil, Motor Gasoline, Fuel Oil and Gasoil, with the arrivals scheduled between September 16 and September 22.
The port will also handle food and agricultural commodities. Bulk wheat and rice shipments are expected on September 18 and September 30, while several vessels carrying fertiliser are scheduled to arrive during the period.
Among them are African Macaw, expected on September 16, followed by Lem Marigold and Pollux on September 18.
KPA said the high number of container vessels reflects Mombasa’s continuing role as a key gateway for regional cargo.
Lamu receives nine vessels
Lamu Port is expected to receive nine vessels during the same period, comprising container and conventional cargo ships.
The arrivals come as the government and KPA continue efforts to expand the role of Lamu as an alternative maritime gateway and a key component of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor.
KPA describes Lamu as a deep-water port designed to handle containerised, conventional and petroleum cargo. Its first three berths are operational, while the completed facility is planned to eventually have 23 berths.
The port is also positioned along major international shipping routes and is intended to support regional trade beyond Kenya.
Ports undergoing major expansion
The latest vessel schedule comes as Mombasa and Lamu undergo infrastructure upgrades aimed at strengthening their capacity and positioning them as major trade and transport hubs in East and Central Africa.
The expansion programme includes public-private partnership arrangements under which KPA retains ownership while private investors provide capital and technology.
KPA’s latest 14-day schedule confirms that vessel activity remains closely tied to the movement of essential commodities and regional cargo.
The increased activity also comes against the backdrop of recent fuel-price developments.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority retained maximum pump prices for the September 15 to October 14 pricing period, with a litre of Super Petrol retailing at KSh214.03 in Nairobi, Diesel at KSh217.86 and Kerosene at KSh191.38.
The 51 scheduled vessel calls therefore include a mix of energy products, food, agricultural inputs, vehicles and containerised goods, underlining the importance of Kenya’s maritime infrastructure to both domestic supply chains and regional trade.
