Uncollected cargo to enjoy 60 days waiver charges on storage

Importers with overstayed and uncollected cargo at the port of Mombasa have 60 days to enjoy a waiver on storage and demurrage charges.

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) want the cargo cleared out by the 12thof May in an effort of decongesting the port.

The move follows a consultative meeting between regional revenue authorities, the Kenya ships Agents Association and the Ministry of Transport held in January.

“The public is hereby notified that all storage charges, demurrage charges and customs warehouse rent accrued on long stay cargo discharged at the port of Mombasa shall be waived in full,” reads a joint statement from KRA and KPA.

Port congestion has become a major challenge for the KPA.

The port of Mombasa is a major gateway for goods headed into the East African region. Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan are major users of the port.

However, congestion challenges continue to be a big concern. Rwanda for instance now only uses the port for 40 percent of its imports and exports, with the rest going through the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Kenya is constructing a Ksh 28 billion second container terminal to boost trade in the region, and handle increased importation of goods.

The second terminal will have capacity to handle 450,000 twenty foot equivalent units (TEU) with capacity to grow this to 1.2 million by 2019.

In 2015 the port handled one million TEUs.

Cargo not collected within the 60 days shall be disposed with cargo owners also likely to incur hefty fines.

“Importers are therefore advised to take advantage of this final amnesty and clear their goods before the expiry date,” reads the statement.

The 100 percent waiver applies to cargo that arrived at the port on or before 30th November 2014.

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