The first commercial cargo train arrived in Nairobi last Monday at the new inland container depot which was launched by Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, a fortnight ago.
In his New Year's message, Kenyatta said the new commercial cargo train would cut costs and delays for Kenya and its neighbours. He added that the launch of a “world-class railway system” that delivered on time and within budget, would attract world-class manufacturing and value-addition investments, which were critical to creating jobs and business opportunities.
The first cargo train carried 104 containers, which is almost equivalent to the trucks operating daily on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, according to Kenya Ports Authority head of Inland Container Depots, Symon Wahome.
"While the metre gauge train used to carry twenty to thirty containers, the standard gauge train will carry 216 containers," he said.
