Shipping Arabia, January 15, 2025 — Mombasa Port experienced an impressive increase in transshipment traffic in 2024, with a remarkable 132.9% rise, equating to an additional 280,593 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This brought the annual total to 491,666 TEUs. This growth is primarily linked to the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea, which has prompted a significant diversion of maritime traffic to Mombasa as a safer alternative.
The Red Sea, a critical maritime corridor, faced heightened attacks on container vessels by militants in late November 2023, following the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas. These disruptions compelled shipping companies to reroute their vessels, resulting in delays and increased costs, thereby making Mombasa a viable transshipment hub.
Throughout 2024, Mombasa Port handled an impressive total of 41.1 million tons of cargo, a substantial increase from the previous year’s 35.98 million tons. This surge was fueled by rising containerized and bulk cargo volumes, establishing the port as a preferred transshipment center for major shipping lines. This strategic positioning has also enabled the port to serve smaller feeder vessels connecting Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
William Ruto, Managing Director of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), noted the strategic adjustments made at the port, highlighting improved performance across all cargo types. Uganda continued to be the primary transit destination through Mombasa, accounting for 65.7% of the transit cargo. Uganda’s cargo throughput alone increased by 23.8% in 2024, rising to 8,811,289 tons from 7,115,079 tons in 2023. Other significant transit markets included South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
In December 2024, Mombasa Port processed a total cargo throughput of 3,746,363 tons, compared to 3,029,482 tons in December 2023. The same month saw a notable 25.8% increase in transshipment traffic and a 22.2% rise in transit traffic, underscoring Mombasa Port’s growing significance as a crucial logistics hub in the region amid ongoing global maritime disruptions.
