Booming business lifts KPA's May earnings to Sh62b

CS Transport Kipchumba Murkomen (right) with KPA MD Captain William Ruto (left) on 19 Dec, 2023 when the CS visited the Port of Mombasa where he announced performance contracting results for the KPA. [Robert Menza, Standard]

The port of Mombasa has registered increased business, boosting its financial performance, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has said.

KPA management noted that the port recorded a revenue of Sh61.8 billion in May 2024, against a full-year budget of Sh54.7 billion.

KPA Managing Director William Ruto noted that the overall enhancements at the authority have increased business and improved general performance contributing to the growth of the economy.

"By the end of March 2024, our revenue had surpassed the full-year budget. This upward trend has seen us record revenue of Sh61.8 billion in May against a full-year budget of Sh54.7 billion, representing a 13 per cent positive variance," he said.

He was speaking during a media engagement at the weekend, accompanied by KPA board chairman Benjamin Tayari and other officials.

On expenditure, Capt Ruto said KPA registered savings of four per cent as of May 30, 2024, with its absolute expenditure figure being Sh43.5 billion against a budget of Sh45.2 billion. "This financial performance mirrors improved efficiency and throughput at the port of Mombasa," he explained.

Tayari said KPA has continued to invest in port capacity expansion programmes and modern equipment acquisition. He said total container capacity at Mombasa port stands at 2.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year.

Last year, the port handled 35.98 million tonnes compared to 33.88 million tonnes handled in 2022.