Business Daily (Nairobi)
Ben Sanga And Miano Kihu
15 April 2008
Towering piles of containers were a common sight at the port of Mombasa a few years ago. The picture is different today thanks to the introduction of the 24/7 operation.
Before the all-week 24-hour system, container and transit cargo delivery ended by 8 pm, while ship operation and direct delivery of cargo - ship to shore - was still operated on a 24/7 basis. This meant that no cargo was allowed to leave the port vicinity after 8pm.
However, in September last year, KPA introduced the new work shift in line with the international practice.
"The 24/7 system has been of great help to us, as clearing agents; it has made it possible for us to clear the cargo within two days," said Mr Muchori Mathenge, who has been in the practice for over a decade.
Mr Mathenge, who describes the transition to computerised method as revolutionary, said it enabled agents to save time and money.
"Ten years back, I could spend up to three or four weeks chasing cargo at the port. Having your entries passed, verified and tracing the cargo itself was a nightmare for any clearing agent and yet corruption was the order of the day. I feel the port and the industry as a whole has made big steps in streamlining the systems," the agent said.
But, he added, there was still more room to improve in pursuit of efficiency.
As applied to other port operations, work at the port is organised on a three-shift basis of eight hours, with the first shift starting from 7am to 3pm while the second one goes to 11pm from 3pm. The final group takes over immediately to 7am, making a cycle.
KPA corporate communications officer, Mr Harry Abok, says the system has greatly enhanced the efficiency of the port operations besides optimising the use of resources like labour, equipment and space.
"The 24/7 delivery of cargo has reduced port container numbers from a record 20,000 units of boxes per day to an average of 9,000 per day currently," says Mr Abok.
He said the situation had translated into faster ship turnaround, faster clearance of port cargo, thus making it cheaper and more attractive to conduct business at the port and within the region.
The rationale of 24/7 operations across the globe is to serve ships without delays, adding that some of the cargo is for emergencies like relief food or medicine. These, he explained, should be cleared fast to arrest any ugly occurrences.
Other port stakeholders like the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) have constantly reviewed systems in furtherance of efficiency hence poor performance by the port managers would cause disharmony and discord.
But clearing agents want the 24/7 operation system extended to the container freight stations (CFSs) and constant breakdown of the customs cargo clearance system corrected once and for all, said Kenya International Freight & Warehousing Association (KIFWA) chairman, Mr Peter Otieno.
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