Mombasa Port Handled 41.1 Million Tonnes of Cargo in 2024

The Mombasa Port processed 41.1 million tonnes of cargo in 2024, up from 35.98 million tonnes in 2023, according to data from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

KPA Managing Director William Ruto said the increase shows the port’s ability to handle more trade despite global challenges. “The 14.1% growth, or 5.1 million tonnes, proves our strength and readiness to manage higher trade volumes,” he said.

Uganda was the top destination for transit cargo, accounting for 65.7% of all transit goods. In 2024, 8.81 million tonnes were sent to Uganda, an increase of 23.8% compared to 7.12 million tonnes in 2023.

Other destinations also showed growth:

• South Sudan grew by 12.7%.

• The Democratic Republic of Congo grew by 11.8%.

• Rwanda increased by 5.1%.

• Tanzania grew by 3.4%.

  
  

Transshipment cargo also saw a major rise, with 491,666 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2024, an increase of 132.9% compared to 2023. TEUs are a standard measurement for container cargo, and transshipment refers to goods unloaded at the port and sent to smaller regional ports.

Mr. Ruto explained that the growth was partly due to ships avoiding attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen-based Houthis, leading to more ships choosing Mombasa. He also credited the port’s efficiency in handling cargo quickly.

For the first time in over a decade, the port processed more than 2 million TEUs, reaching 2,005,076 TEUs in 2024, a 23.5% rise compared to 1,623,080 TEUs in 2023.

• Imported containers grew by 7.2% to 768,088 TEUs from 716,493 in 2023.

• Exported containers increased by 6.6% to 731,934 TEUs from 686,526 in 2023.

  
  

Transit cargo volumes also rose by 17.4% to 13.4 million tonnes in 2024, confirming the port’s key role in regional trade.

In December 2024 alone, the port handled 3.75 million tonnes of cargo, up from 3.03 million tonnes in December 2023.