Danish consultancy firm Niras is overseeing the relocation of the oil terminal, which will expand the country’s petroleum handling and storage capacity by almost 400 per cent.

 

“We have engaged a consultant who is finalising the designs in regard to the planned relocation of the Kipevu oil terminal,” Ndua said. KPA principal communication officer Hajj Masemo said the project is part of the Mombasa port infrastructure development.

 

“Everything is on course. Once we internalise the designs, we move to tendering and construction which is expected to commence by end of this year,” said Masemo on phone. Last year, Kenya imported petroleum products worth Sh292.6 billion up from Sh252.7 billion the previous year, according to the Kenya Economic Survey 2015.

 

KPA is set to move the Kipevu terminal to a new site on the southern side of the port, opposite the current container terminal. The relocation is expected to cost $120 million (Sh12.5 billion). The preliminary design will cost $1.7 million (Sh176 million).

 

The new terminal, expected to be complete in 2018, will allow four large tankers of up to 150,000 tonnes to berth at the same time.

 

Kenya currently has two oil terminals – Kipevu situated on the mainland Port Reitz which can accommodate a single vessel of up to 100,000 tonnes at a time and the Shimanzi that can take in a 30,000-tonne vessel at a time.

 

Kenya serves as a key port of entry for bulk fuel importation among other imports into the hinterland, mainly Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo.

Source : trademarkea.com