Mykolaiv Sea Port and Kenya's port of Mombasa planning memo of cooperation

Mykolaiv Sea Port and Kenya's port of Mombasa are planning to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Kenya and to the United Republic of Tanzania Volodymyr Butiaha met with managing director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Gichiri Ndua on January 12, 2013.

In the framework of the meeting the prospects of bilateral relations in the field of maritime cooperation were discussed. In the context of the previously disclosed plans by the Kenyan side of the reconstruction of the Mombasa and Lamu ports, Volodymyr Butiaha informed the participants about the interest of the SE «Chernomorniiproekt», OJSC «Wadan Yards Okean», SE «Shipyard named after 61 Communards», OJSC «Dnepropetrovsk Tube Works» and the Incor Group holding in the implementation of these projects.

In turn, the Kenyan side pointed out that 40% of cargo handled at the port of Mombasa are in transit and are intended to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and other countries in East Africa, which allows Kenya rightly to be considered the economic centre of the East African region.

As a result of discussion and demonstration of Ukrainian companies, Mr Gichiri Ndua determined the perspective directions of cooperation with Ukraine, namely the reconstruction of the port projecting; construction of floating elevator; increasing the capacity of cargo handling by building a new berth and pumps renovation; the renewal of equipment for water purification and wastewater, as a port, and for the city.

In the context of bilateral agreements Kenyan side was handed a draft of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Mykolaiv sea port and the Kenya’s port of Mombasa. The director of the Kenya Ports Authority recognized the importance of signing of this Memorandum, particularly in consideration of the increase of the trade turnover between Ukraine and Kenya and assured the Ukrainian representatives in the document development.

Adapted from Context-Prichernomorie Information agency