The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director William Ruto has announced new waste management charges for marine vessels docking at the Mombasa Port.
In a statement released on Saturday, April 27, the Kenya Ports Authority will collect the charges on behalf of the Mombasa County Government, effective May 15, 2024.
“The Mombasa County Solid Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2023 mandates the County Government of Mombasa to levy charges for solid waste management on ships that dock at the Port of Mombasa,” the statement reads in part.
The charges include two US dollars for every hundred tonnes based on a ship’s gross registered tonnage.
Weekly, the minimum charges on a ship will be 200 US Dollars while the maximum charges stand at 1,500 US dollars, which translates to approximately Ksh26,600 and Ksh199,500 respectively.
Ruto further noted that ships owned or operated by the government, other than those engaged in commercial transactions, will be exempted from the outlined charges.
Other exempted are ships owned by KPA, authorised ferries plying exclusively within the harbour and ships trading between ports in Kenya.
Ships with less than five hundred gross registered tonnage, vessels at anchorage and dredgers whose ordinary course of navigation does not exceed the port limit will not pay the detailed charges.
“All port users are requested to take note of and cooperate with the Kenya Ports Authority in enforcing the Mombasa County Solid Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2023,” the statement directs.
In another statement, KPA will also facilitate the collection of parking fees for heavy and commercial vehicles used by port users within Mombasa County.
Affected users were further advised to consult the County's Finance and Economic Planning Director for further instructions on the new directive.
"This applies to Grain Bulk Handling Limited, Agol Limited, Empty Container Depots, Refineries and other port users who utilise port terminals without accessing port premises."
