Port of Mombasa
The Port of Mombasa is Kenya's primary deep-water port on the Indian Ocean, operated by the Kenya Ports Authority. It handles approximately 38 million tonnes of cargo annually in 2026 and is the primary East African gateway for transit-bound cargo to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, eastern DRC, and northern Tanzania.
Terminal infrastructure
Mombasa operates three principal cargo-handling areas: (1) Mombasa Container Terminal (MCT — Berth 21), handling 1.6 million TEU annually in 2026; (2) Conventional Berths 14-18 handling RoRo (vehicles, excavators) and breakbulk cargo; (3) Mbaraki Wharf for specialised cargo. The Lamu Port to the north has limited industrial throughput as of 2026.
Used excavator inflow
Approximately 3,400 used excavators land at Mombasa annually in 2026 — approximately 65% from China (Shanghai / Ningbo / Qingdao), the remainder from Japan, Korea, and direct EU sources. The major carriers serving this route are RoRo specialists (Höegh Autoliners, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, NYK Line, Mitsui OSK, K Line) and container lines (COSCO, MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM). Vessel frequency Shanghai-to-Mombasa: 2-3 RoRo sailings per month, 8-12 container service sailings per month.
Transit times and free storage
Shanghai → Mombasa transit: 28-35 days RoRo, 32-42 days container. Free storage at Container Terminal and Conventional Berths: 5 days from vessel discharge. After day 5 storage accumulates at USD 28-42/day for RoRo, USD 22-34/day for containers. Customs clearance (KRA): 6-10 days typical, 4-6 days when documents are clean.
Monsoon impact
The Southwest Monsoon (June-September) reduces RoRo schedule reliability from approximately 88% to 72%. Expect 4-8 days additional transit on RoRo bookings landing during this window. Container service is less affected — typically 1-3 days slip. The Northeast Monsoon (December-March) offers the best schedule reliability.
Inland transit
From Mombasa, low-loader truck transport to inland destinations in 2026: Nairobi (480 km) USD 1,200-1,800 / 1.5 days; Eldoret (790 km) USD 2,100-2,800 / 2.5 days; Kisumu (920 km) USD 2,400-3,200 / 3 days; Kampala via Malaba (1,150 km, transit-bond) USD 3,200-4,400 / 4-5 days; Kigali via Gatuna (1,720 km, transit-bond) USD 4,800-6,400 / 6-8 days. Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha is available for containerised cargo but not cost-competitive for single-unit excavator movement.