Overloaded containers to be barred from Mombasa highway, says NCTTCA

MOMBASA, KENYA: Overloaded containers will not be released from various cargo loading points in Mombasa, according to a self- regulatory axle load limit charter to be signed by transport stakeholders.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Michael Kamau, Transport principal secretary Nduva Muli and Infrastructure Principal Secretary John Mosoni will preside over the event at Mariakani weighbridge in Kilifi County.

The charter requires Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to share information in advance with the other cargo inspectors on the weight of the containers received based on ship manifests.

The cargo that exceeds the allowable limit of 56 tonnes will only be released through the rail, which is currently loading less than 10 percent of the cargo generated through Mombasa port.

The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA), an intergovernmental regional body mandated to facilitate trade along the corridor, said that compliance to axle load limit was still low, standing at below 75 percent.

"From the Transport Observatory Project indicators, there is overloading on our roads, despite laws being in place," said Donat Bagula, NCTTCA executive secretary on Sunday.

He added that to protect roads, the NCTTCA, the World Bank and Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) came up with a program that would enhance self- compliance with vehicle weight limits.

"No one is in better position to draft the charter other than you who are in the industry," Bagula said, urging the drafting committee members to kick -start the development of the self regulatory charter for axle load compliance.

Government agencies signing the charter are Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, NCTTCA, National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), KPA, Kenya Police Service, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Pipeline Company Limited (KPC).

Private agencies include Shippers Council of East Africa, Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa), KTA, Container Freight Station Association (CFSA) and Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Union (KLDTDU).

Weighbridges, according to the charter, will be installed at all cargo loading points in Mombasa.

The charter commits CFSA to ensure all its members install weighbridges at their yards to ensure that only correctly loaded containers leave the stations.

Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) will be required to second its staff to the CFSs to ensure that the cargo weighed at the stations will not be weighed along the corridor.

CFSs today handle all the domestic containers discharged from the Mombasa port

The charter requires KMA to develop regulations that will compel shippers of containers to verify their gross weight prior to release at various loading points.

Stakeholders started the process of developing the charter early this year in response to the challenge of dealing with issues affecting overloading through co-operation rather than detailed legislation.

The charter to key performance indicators and responsibilities of each organisation.be signed by 14 agencies involved in transport outline key performance indicators and responsibilities of each organizations.

The Self-Regulatory Charter is anchored on the East African Community Vehicle Load Control Bill 2012, which provides a framework to be applied in the EAC.

The EAC load control Bill passed in May 2013 harmonizes the Gross Vehicle Weight limits to 56 tons.

Corruption at the weighbridge has been blamed on overloading.

"Despite our efforts to sensitize truckers and efforts by government agencies, some transporters continue to overload. In order to deal with the vice, we need a joint approach," said Mr Wellington Kiverenge, KTA acting chief executive officer.