Kenya is set to construct three additional ships to facilitate the export of oil products to Uganda through Lake Victoria, according to Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir.
The move aims to increase the frequency of shipments from the current weekly trips to daily voyages to Uganda, a landlocked country heavily dependent on Kenya for fuel supplies.
Despite the oil-loading jetty being operational since early January, Kenya has only managed to ship 20 million litres of petroleum products.
Cabinet Secretary Chirchir expressed disappointment over the underutilization of the Ksh2 billion ($14.57 million) project, which was completed in February 2018. However, he remains optimistic that the construction of additional ships will enable Kenya to regain its market share of oil exports in East Africa.
Also, read; Trevor Noah Triumphs at the 2023 Webby Awards, Crowned Internet’s Favorite ‘Personality/Host’
The fuel is transported to the Mahathi terminal in Entebbe, Uganda, where it is then loaded onto trucks destined for Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cabinet Secretary Chirchir emphasized that apart from being cost-effective, shipping oil products through Lake Victoria would alleviate road congestion and enhance supply reliability. One ship with a capacity of 4.5 million litres is equivalent to utilizing 135 trucks.
Energy and Petroleum Permanent Secretary Mohamed Liban echoed Chirchir’s sentiments, highlighting the positive impact of transporting petroleum products via the lake. The utilization of this mode of transportation has contributed to a decrease in road accidents, product adulteration, and illegal dumping.
Cabinet Secretary Chirchir made these remarks during his visit to the Kenya Pipeline Company’s 95-meter-long oil-loading jetty in Kisumu last week.
The government’s initiative to expand the fleet of ships demonstrates its commitment to strengthening regional trade and supporting Uganda’s energy needs.
