Kenya on the rise

It’s called the Silicon Savannah because of its tech industry, it’s strong in agriculture, and it’s becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination. Kenya is the economic, financial and transport hub of East Africa. Its GDP growth has averaged over 6 percent for the last decade. This country on the Indian Ocean boasts a growing entrepreneurial middle class and a young, educated workforce, making East Africa a market with great potential. With its Vision 2030, the Kenyan government is pushing the country’s development even further.

“Kenya has embarked on a large-scale investment in public infrastructure, including the railways connecting cargo from the Port of Mombasa to the hinterland,” says Vikyath Kumar, Director Sales Hapag-Lloyd Africa. “Good hinterland connectivity is the key in Africa, as many other countries are lacking in infrastructure. Kenya’s investments are helping us carry cargo to hinterland locations that were previously out of reach.”

Avocados are key pillar of exports

Kenya is rich in all kind of fruits and vegetables – ranging from pineapples, guavas and mangos to cauliflower, broccoli and eggplants. However, the strongest-growing market in the agricultural segment is avocados, which is one of the key pillars of Kenyan exports. Besides avocados, tea, coffee, hides and copper, as well as fruits and vegetables in general, are Kenya’s main exports commodities. As for imports, vehicles, spare parts, yarns, machinery and electronic goods are in high demand.

Inland corridors for door-to-door transport services

After successfully launching its first dedicated connection to East Africa this past March, Hapag-Lloyd recently announced that it will expand the existing service to also connect East Africa to the Arabian Gulf and India. By switching the hub from the Saudi Arabia port of Jeddah to the UAE port of Jebel Ali, the company can ensure similar transit times and equally smooth connections for cargo from and to Asia, North Europe, the Mediterranean, North America and South America.

“With the East African Service, we have also opened key inland corridors at the same time as the port calls for the first time to serve core customers who need door-to-door transport services,” says Samad Osman, Managing Director Area Africa. “Our upgraded service will be on par with those of key competitors, who have been plying this market for over 40 years. As such, with the overwhelming support seen so far after just four months of operations in this completely new geographical area for Hapag-Lloyd, customers are seeing us as a value proposal and reliable partner in their supply chain.”

The upcoming EAS2 will call at Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Khor Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.