New cargo ship to ramp up operations at Kisumu oil jetty
CHRIS MAHANDARA-KNA
Operations at the Kenya Pipeline Corporation (KPC) oil jetty in Kisumu have ramped up following the introduction of a second cargo ship to ferry fuel from the depot to Uganda through Lake Victoria.
The vessel, christened Mt. Elgon, has a capacity of 4,500 cubic meters and will complement Mt. Kabaka Mutebi II, which was introduced in 2022, making a combined total of four trips per week.
Operated by Lake Victoria Logistics Limited, the two vessels are set to revolutionize the transportation of petroleum products in the East African region, reducing costs incurred from transporting the products by road.
Lake Victoria Logistics Limited Chairman Dr. Steve Mainda said the new vessel would advance safe and efficient transport of petroleum products across Lake Victoria to Uganda for onward delivery by road to Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This, he said, follows the success registered by Mt Kabaka Mutebi II which has so far completed 70 successful voyages since the Sh1.7 billion oil jetty was operationalised.
He said one voyage was equivalent to about 150 tracks transporting commodities by road from Kisumu to Jinja, adding that the move was set to cut costs involved in road maintenance.
“We thank the two governments (Kenya and Uganda) for creating an enabling environment for us to do business.
This jetty is a wonderful facility. Without this infra structure, this ship would not have been here,” he said.
The company, he added, plans to introduce a third sheep which will further reduce the pressure on roads and the dangers in volved transporting petroleum products on tracks. KPC Kisumu depot manager Eng. Charles Sambu said the deployment of the two vessels was a milestone in the utilisation of the oil jetty which was established in the year 2018.
Petroleum products from the Kisumu depot, he added, were being trans ported through tracks and rail wagons, adding that the entrance of the two vessels will enhance efficiency and operations at the facility.