Uhuru Commissions Mtongwe Facility to Build, Repair Ships

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday, December 17 commissioned the Mombasa Shipyard in Mtongwe, Mombasa County. The shipyard is owned by Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL), a company operated by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga, Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa are among those who accompanied the President to the event which was also graced by top military leaders.

The facility is meant for building, maintenance, repair and refitting of maritime vessels. Its first major task will be refitting of the 1997 Kenya Navy tanker KNS Shupavu.

Uhuru was taken on a guided tour of the facility by Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi.

The shipyard includes a 4000-tonne slipway for shipbuilding activities including refitting of vessels operated by Kenya Navy, Govt agencies and private operators. KDF has since 2019 been involved in development of the shipyard located only a short distance away from the Port of Mombasa.

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The facility has a capacity to handle 4,000-tonne vessels, which are 150 metres long, 30 metres high, 30 metres wide and with a draft of six metres. It also has a small parking lot and a hangar, which is 120 metres long, 30 metres wide and 20 metres high.

The shipyard also incorporates four main workshops – an electronic repair workshop, a marine and general engineering workshop, a fitting and carpentry workshop and the hull and superstructure repair workshop.

Its commissioning is seek as a key part of President Kenyatta’s blue economy agenda which focuses on making the most of maritime resources. The shipyard is intended to handle ships from across East Africa.

Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL) already operates the Kisumu Shipyard where it is constructing MV Uhuru II wagon ferry. In the capital Nairobi, KSL operates 31 Kenya Railways locomotives.

On his trip to Mombasa, President Kenyatta also laid a wreath at the Kenya Navy Base Mtongwe monument in honour of the fallen heroes.

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