Kenya Ports Authority [KPA] has waived storage charges on goods that have overstayed at the port of Mombasa in an effort to decongest the harbour that is currently facing a cargo handling crisis due to a backlog of uncollected containers.
In a notice published in the local dailies, KPA appealed to importers and clearing and forwarding agents to take advantage of the waiver and remove containers that have overstayed in the port.
"Please note that this waiver will only be granted to those customers who will arrange to remove their containers from the port before 20 January," the notice added.
The KPA management has also embarked on a programme to contract empty container yard operators within the port vicinity for storage, handling and transportation of empty containers.
It is also transferring all containers, which have stayed in the port for more than 21 days to Makupa Transit Shade Ltd, within the port, in an effort to create more space at the container terminal.
Owners of containers transferred to the shade will only get them after clearing with Kenya Revenue Authority, settling KPA charges and the shade operator's storage charges.
On Tuesday, Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) asked the Government to consider waiving storage charges on goods that have overstayed at Mombasa port.
The association also asked for the extension of all existing transit bonds to give importers and clearing agents more time to clear their goods.
The port is currently holding more than 18,000 containers, 4,000 above its capacity. This has resulted in delays in ship turn-around. Currently, seven ships are waiting at the port to discharge hundreds of tonnes of cargo.
However, the port has reported an improvement in cargo clearance following the decline in post-election violence.
Source: GNA
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