Thanks to a reduction in tariffs, rail cargo moving out of the Mombasa Port Container Terminals rose significantly in January - from 273 TEUs to 438, according to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
Kenya Railways announced the reduced tariffs on standard gauge railway cargo at the beginning of 2017 – effective until April 4 – in order to promote the use of the Inland Container Depot in Nairobi.
The charge for handling a local 20-foot container is now US$80, down from US$103, while a 40-foot container will cost US$120 instead of US$157. Transit cargo now costs US$60 for a 20 foot container, down from US$90, with a 40-foot container costing US$90 compared to the previous US$125.
“The increase in rail transport is quite significant considering that it has been recording less than 300 TEUs for a long time,” added a KPA spokesperson.
