Cruise ships to dock at Kisumu Port as KPA revives lake transport

The Kenya Ports Authority has announced plans to set up a modern passenger terminal at the port of Kisumu to revive transport through Lake Victoria.

Through the partnership with Trademark Africa, the KPA technical team has completed designs for the project which is expected to inject new life into the revamped Kisumu Port.

KPA General Manager in charge of Infrastructure Development (GMID) Eng Mathew Amuti said the initiative dubbed Kisumu Port Resilient Infrastructure project targets to enhance connectivity in the East Africa region to spur trade and economic development.

He said the KPA technical team was reviewing the designs for the passenger terminal to be located at the junction of Oginga Odinga Street and Obote Road to determine the actual costs for the project ahead of the tendering process.

The passenger terminal, he said will have all aspects of international entry/exit point, check-in/check-out facilities, surveillance cameras, Port Security Office, Border Patrol Unit, Kenya Coast Guard Service, and Immigration Offices among other government agencies.

Other amenities, he said include an access road linking Kisumu Central Business District (CBD) and the western region en route to Uganda, a jetty for vessels plying the lake locally and internationally, a ramp for ferries, security systems and restrooms.

Designed to optimise passenger flow, the terminal, he said, includes segregated areas for ferry passengers with substantial cargo, local travellers and international guests with a capacity of more than 500 passengers at the jetty and 1, 000 at the ferry terminal per hour.

Travellers, he said, will have a range of facilities such as restaurants, forex bureaus and offices for taxi operators at the terminal premises.

In addition, a new warehouse with a control tower for communication gadgets across the lake will be set up at the Kisumu pier to facilitate the rollout of services.

He added that the terminal is linked to feeder ports of Muhuru Bay, Homa Bay, Sena, Mbita, Asembo, Luanda K'otieno, Usenge and Sio Port within the Kenyan waters which are also being developed in phases.

In an exclusive interview with KNA, Eng. Amuti said the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) will set up a rescue centre at the terminal to carry out bathymetric surveys.

International and local navigation channels, he added, have been mapped with additional navigation aids already identified.

KPA, he said, has partnered with the county government and relevant national government agencies to sensitise and mark areas for fishing to avoid the installation of nets and fish cages in vessels’ routes.

An early warning system, he added, has been developed and is undergoing tests to issue alerts on the manifestation of water hyacinth.

Eng Amuti said that once completed KPA will operate the terminal alongside other government agencies with the private sector bringing in cruise ships and vessels.

This, he said, will facilitate group tours for tourists and international travel in the East Africa Region taking a relatively short duration.

Before operations grounded at the port, there used to be seamless connectivity of rail and lake steamers.

Passengers would disembark at the Railway Station and walk down to catch a steamship to Asembo Bay, Kendu Bay and Homa Bay.

MV Uhuru I also used to transport fuel from Kenya to Uganda and Tanzania. A new vessel MV Uhuru II was recently launched by President DR. William Ruto to enhance the capacity to ferry petroleum products through the lake.

Eng. Amuti said the new development was expected to scale up activities at the Kisumu Port which has been dormant for decades.

The port, he added, has witnessed remarkable growth since the year 2017 when KPA took over its operations from Kenya Railways with cargo handling scaled up to 127,000 tonnes in 2023 up from 3,000 tonnes in 2017.