Nairobi — Kenya resumes exporting sugar in earnest at the end of this month when 11,600 metric tonnes of the commodity leave through the port of Mombasa.

The Sunday Standard has learnt that a cargo ship, the MV Honor Pascadores, is in the high seas heading towards Mombasa to take the consignment on board.

Information contained in the latest 14-day shipping list issued by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) says the vessel is expected to dock on May 16. Local handling agents for the vessel are listed as Seabulk Shipping.

Seabulk's Chief Executive officer Said Nadhir said the sugar exports are part of Kenya sugar quota to the European Union (EU).

He added that the sugar export was from Mumias Sugar Company and would be shipped to the port of Lisbon in Portugal.

In the meantime, additional fertiliser imports are expected at the port aboard two vessels.

The fertiliser imports follow a government initiative to order stocks to replenish the country's dwindling reserves.

The first vessel to dock, which is expected to bring in 23200 metric tonnes of fertiliser, will be the MV Lok Prem, which is due to dock on May 11. Its local handling agents are Barwill Bat-Haf.

The MV Admiral, under the agency of Seabulk, will be docking on May 17 with 17,000 metric tonnes of bulk fertiliser.