The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has announced that a Korean shipping company will enter the Kenyan market with a new service connecting Mombasa Port to India.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 30, KPA said Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) will launch the new service next month, deploying a vessel weekly on the Mombasa-Nhava Sheva route.
The service will have an initial capacity of 2,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), giving importers and exporters another shipping option between Kenya and India.
Mombasa Port Lands New Weekly Shipping Route as Korean Giant Enters Kenya
HMM will operate the service as part of a consortium involving six slot partners — HMM, PIL, COSCO, ONE, OOCL and Inchcape Shipping.
“Hyundai Merchant Marine, a Korean shipping line, is set to enter the Kenyan market with the launch of a new service linking the Port of Mombasa to India via the Nhava Sheva port.” KPA said.
“The service will begin next month and will deploy a weekly vessel with an initial capacity of 2,500 TEUs. It will operate as a consortium involving six slot partners: HMM, PIL, Cosco, ONE, OOCL and Inchcape Shipping.”Â
The entry of the Korean shipping firm comes as Mombasa port continues to expand its role as a maritime gateway for Kenya and other countries in East Africa.
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The Kenya Ports Authority has been investing in the expansion and modernization of the Mombasa port as it seeks to handle growing demand from regional and international trade.
KPA Managing Director Capt. William Ruto welcomed the new service, saying the development reflects the growing profile of Mombasa as a regional maritime hub.
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The new route will connect Mombasa with Nhava Sheva, one of India’s major container ports, providing another link between East Africa and the Indian market.
Jang Wonjun, Senior Vice President and Head of the Container Logistics Management Office at HMM’s headquarters in South Korea, attributed the company’s decision to enter the Kenyan market to Mombasa’s strategic position in the region.
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The HMM team also thanked the Kenya Ports Authority and said it looked forward to a successful maiden voyage and the introduction of more services through Mombasa port.
The new weekly connection is expected to give businesses using the port another option for moving containerized cargo between Kenya, India and the wider region.
For Mombasa, the arrival of HMM adds another major international shipping name to the list of carriers using the port, as Kenya seeks to strengthen its position in regional maritime trade.
HMM is continuously securing competitive feeder ships that can create synergy with existing ultra-large ships to ensure the successful settlement of this new route.
Previously, HMM presented a blueprint through its mid- to long-term strategy announcement to expand its container fleet to 1.47 million TEU and 166 ships by 2030.
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