Mombasa port hosts maiden call of Akkon Line Vessel as trade links expand

The Port of Mombasa on Sunday celebrated the maiden call of the MV Nara, a vessel deployed under Akkon Line’s East Africa Service (EAS), a milestone aimed at strengthening maritime connectivity between the Indian Subcontinent and East Africa.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) managing director William Ruto, a career Master Mariner navigated the ship to port, before presenting a certificate of first call to the ship’s Master, Mustafa Olgun, recognising the vessel’s arrival, as is customary for inaugural visits.

 “Mombasa Port remains committed to providing world-class services to our shipping partners and enhancing Kenya’s position as a key maritime hub,” Captain Ruto said.

 “Every maiden call strengthens regional trade and reflects our strategic vision for East Africa’s shipping sector.”

Akkon Line, a Turkish container shipping company, has expanded its presence in emerging trade corridors with the introduction of its EAS Service, which will operate on a bi-weekly schedule.

The service connects Nhava Sheva, Mundra and Karachi in South Asia with Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, providing reliable cargo movement and reinforcing trade links between the regions.

Both Akkon Line and Rais Shipping Services expressed gratitude to KPA for its continued support and efficient port operations.

The launch of the EAS Service has galvanised  Mombasa’s role as a key maritime gateway for East and Central Africa, facilitating regional trade and boosting the port’s position in global shipping networks.

Cargo volumes through the Port of Mombasa hit a record 45.45 million tonnes for the period January to December 2025.

This was a 10.0 per cent increase or 4.46 million tonnes in comparison to 2024 when the port handled 40.99 million tonnes.

Similarly, significant growth was attained in container traffic reaching a total of 2.11 million TEUs, against 2.00 million TEUs in 2024, representing a growth rate of 109,797 TEUs, or 5.5 per cent.

KPA has been implementing a number of projects and equipment upgrade in recent months to meet the rising demand, key being the expansion of berths and yard space including berth 19B, 23 and 24 that will create an additional capacity of 1.4 million TEUs.

According to Ruto, KPA is also upgrading the Terminal Operating System currently above 40 per cent completion and gates automation, which have attained more than 60 per cent completion rate for gates 23 and 24.

“Acquisition and modernisation of equipment is also at an advanced stage of implementation, even as the authority enhances collaboration with the industry players to streamline services,” Ruto said.