New port will bolster country’s fishing sector

Shimoni Fish Port facility is handed over

KENYA: Completed at a cost of over $20 million, the newly constructed Shimoni Fish Port facility was handed over to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) last week by contractors, Southern Engineering Company (SECO).

The port facility, which commenced construction in October 2022 is equipped with modern facilities for vessels landing, fish processing, and cold storage is expected to bolster the fisheries value chain.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Managing Director Captain William Ruto said the Fish Port represents a unique strategic shift of the Authority’s approach to port operations, diversifying beyond cargo handling to focus on specialised fisheries infrastructure. He added that the port will generate employment opportunities and boost local economic growth in the region.

“The journey towards exploiting blue economy has started and I am proud that a Kenyan firm and consultant have delivered a very good project whose feasibility study commenced way back in 2017,” he added.

The port has a handling capacity of up to 200,000 tonnes of fish daily and will play a key role in reducing post-harvest losses, improving fish quality, expanding market access, and creating up to 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Key infrastructure at the port includse a 75-metre jetty and a 135-metre causeway, capable of berthing two fishing vessels simultaneously. The facility also comprises a modern fish processing plant, cold storage units, reefer stations, a warehouse, fish market, administrative offices, toilet blocks, a bio-digester, a wastewater treatment system, and a power substation.

Shimoni was selected as the ideal site following a feasibility study that highlighted its naturally deep, sheltered waters and a high existing fish landing volume of approximately 10,000 metric tonnes annually.

The Blue Economy is a critical sector under Kenya Vision 2030’s Economic Pillar, which aims to enhance the full exploitation of maritime resources for socio-economic growth. It is also one of the priority value chains identified in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to raise agricultural productivity.