DNK International By Tobby Otum,Mombasa.
Cargo volumes handled at the Port of Mombasa rose to a historic high of 45.45 million metric tonnes between January and December 2025, up from 40.99 million metric tonnes recorded in 2024, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto has announced.
Captain Ruto said the strong performance was driven by exceptional growth in both import and export volumes, with imports climbing to 36 million metric tonnes in 2025 from 30 million metric tonnes the previous year.
This represented a growth of 20.1 per cent.
Exports also posted gains, rising to 5.03 million metric tonnes from 4.96 million tonnes in 2024, an increase of 64,000 metric tonnes or 1.3 per cent.
Speaking while releasing KPA’s 2025 performance results at a media briefing held at Hotel Sapphire in Mvita Constituency, Mombasa County, the Managing Director said the figures reflected a sustained upward trend in cargo movement through the port.
“The cargo volumes through the Port of Mombasa show a notable increase, marking a growth of 4.46 million metric tonnes, equivalent to 10.9 per cent,” Captain Ruto said.
He noted that the growth underscored expanding regional trade and highlighted the need for continued capacity expansion to meet rising demand.
Captain Ruto was accompanied by KPA General Manager for Operations Sudi Mwasinago and General Manager for Finance Geoffrey Kavate during the briefing.
In addition to bulk cargo, container traffic also recorded significant growth.
The port handled a total of 2.11 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2025, compared to 2.00 million TEUs in 2024.
This translated to an increase of 109,797 TEUs, representing a growth rate of 5.5 per cent.
The KPA boss said the strong performance reaffirmed the Port of Mombasa’s position as a critical gateway for regional and international trade, serving Kenya and its landlocked neighbours.
[DNK-International@January 29,2026]
