Importers are experiencing massive losses from storage charges due to Kenya’s national electronic single window experiencing technical difficulties.
The electronic portal, designed to facilitate faster cargo clearance by reducing paperwork, has been failing, resulting in a pile-up of imported goods at Kenyan ports, particularly at Mombasa port, container freight stations, inland container depots, and airports.
The Kenya Trade Network Agency (Kentrade) said that although the portal is experiencing technical challenges, their teams are attending to the problem and the portal's restoration.
"Importers are counting losses in terms of storage charges due to Kentrade continued systems downtime.
“The government must urgently intervene to avert further losses," says Roy Mwanthi, Kenya International Warehousing Association chairman.
The online customs platform was launched in 2014 to improve efficiency and the effectiveness of cross-border trade by reducing the amount of time taken to clear customs on cargo.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the system was expected to reduce clearance waiting times to a day, easing storage costs.
The Kenyan government recognises that due to the implementation of this digital system, trade processes have grown by 94% in the country, resulting in an estimated $22m of revenue received.
Stakeholders note that the rise in technical difficulties with the platform will inevitably cause major losses to traders and will negatively impact Kenya's competitiveness. – Source: The Maritime Executive.
