Kismayo port shows growth, recovery from COVID-19 effects

Ahmed Hajji Adan, the port manager of Kismayo said an average of ten vessels dock at the port, a significant growth compared to a low of up to five vessels a day recorded during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“We have recorded significant growth after disruptions in the global supply chain the last two years, that immensely and negatively affected the activities of port,” he said. 

Kismayo port is a key maritime player in the country that has a long main international shipping route and 3,300 kilometres of coastline. 

Worldwide, increase in demand, constraints on capacity, raw material and the ongoing impact of Covid-19 caused major congestion at ports and disruption to supply chains.

Port Manager Ahmed Adan said Kismayo port was not spared from the interruption affecting ports across the world, slowing the improvement and efficiency plans the Jubaland State had for the port.

The port is the main source of revenue for the Jubaland administration, which shares a long border with Kenya. According to UN statistics, the regional administration raised $ 21.3 Million in the last financial year, coming second to Puntland State which managed to generate a revenue of $ 62.4 Million. 

According to Clarksorns Research, a global seaborne research and statistics company, trade volumes declined only by an estimated 3.6% in 2020, and are on course to surpass 2019 levels in 2022.

“We aspire to record improvement this year in the volume of cargo we receive at our port, said Aden. 

This he said, “Will lead to creation of job employment for many in the town who are jobless or have lost their jobs as a result of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.”

The port city was liberated by the Kenyan forces in 2012 from the hands of Al-Shabaab, which controlled large parts of Southern Somalia. 

Kismayo's port operations and lucrative charcoal trade were the main source of revenue for Al-Shabaab since it pulled out of Mogadishu.

The Islamist group from Somalia has besieged the UN- backed Federal