KEY TAKEAWAY
While record cargo volumes validate the Port of Mombasa as a regional trade anchor, persistent congestion indicates that throughput growth is currently outpacing essential capacity and operational efficiency.
Introduction
The Kenya Ports Authority reported a record 45.45 million metric tonnes of cargo throughput in 2025, marking a significant increase from the previous year. However, this headline growth masks operational stresses, including vessel waiting times and container dwell times that consistently exceed target benchmarks. For regional stakeholders, this signals that Mombasa is operating near the edge of its capacity, turning infrastructure projects into critical success factors rather than background developments.
By the numbers
45.45M tonnes
2025 Total Cargo Throughput
5.5%
Annual TEU Growth
104 hours
Average Import Dwell Time
1,955
Total Vessel Calls in 2025
1
Why volume growth matters
The surge in cargo confirms Mombasa's role as the primary gateway for East and Central Africa.
Strategic drivers
✓Validates the business case for Berth 19B and Dongo Kundu expansion projects.
✓Confirms strong regional demand from Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC.
✓Provides a credible data foundation for future PPP and donor-funded infrastructure.
2
Operational risks of congestion
Unmanaged growth threatens to turn a competitive advantage into a cost burden for shippers.
!Increased demurrage and storage costs for importers.
!Reduced reliability for time-sensitive exports like perishables and textiles.
!Potential loss of transshipment traffic to competing regional ports.
!Working capital strain due to unpredictable cargo release timelines.
!Erosion of buyer confidence in regional supply chain predictability.
Long-form analysis
Navigating the Capacity-Execution Gap
The Demand-Capacity Paradox
The 2025 performance data presents a dual reality: Mombasa is successfully attracting record volumes, yet the port's internal systems are struggling to process this influx without friction. While transit cargo growth confirms the port's central role in regional supply chains, the modest growth in exports compared to imports suggests an imbalance in flow management.
This imbalance places immense pressure on yard capacity and gate automation. Without synchronized improvements in inland evacuation and customs coordination, the port risks becoming a bottleneck that stifles the very growth it seeks to facilitate.
Trade Facilitation and Market Access
Port congestion is fundamentally a trade facilitation challenge that extends far beyond the terminal gates. For exporters of perishables, such as flowers and fresh produce, delays at the port translate directly into lost market value and compromised product quality.
Reliability is the new currency of market access. Buyers in international markets assess suppliers not just on price, but on the predictability of their logistics chains. Persistent delays at Mombasa weaken the competitive position of East African producers.
Strategic Imperatives for Stakeholders
- Predictive Planning: Exporters must integrate port-risk assumptions into their delivery contracts and buyer communications.
- Operational Visibility: Forwarders should utilize live congestion intelligence to manage vessel queues and gate performance.
- Investment Focus: Investors should prioritize projects that enhance throughput efficiency, such as TOS upgrades and smart-gate automation.
- Institutional Coordination: Regulators must align customs, port health, and security agencies to meet standardized clearance targets.
The 90-Day Outlook
Over the next three months, the focus must shift from celebrating volume records to executing on capacity-unlocking milestones. This includes tracking the progress of Berth 23 and 24 alongside the implementation of enhanced Terminal Operating Systems.
Stakeholders should move toward a shared performance dashboard that links cargo throughput with real-time congestion indicators. By fostering transparency, the port can transform from a reactive environment into a proactive, data-driven corridor platform.
Call to Action / Integration: How to use this immediately
For Exporters and Importers
- Incorporate port-risk buffers into all buyer delivery promises and inventory planning.
- Monitor dwell time and vessel waiting metrics as key indicators of landed cost.
- Develop cold-chain contingency plans for time-sensitive perishable shipments.
For Logistics and Forwarding Firms
- Establish weekly port-risk bulletins covering gate performance and RECTS availability.
- Segment client portfolios based on their specific exposure to port-related delays.
- Position advisory services as a proactive risk-prevention tool for clients.
How TFN will support you
TFN provides the intelligence layer necessary to turn complex port data into actionable logistics strategies.
- Deployment of the KPA Performance & Capacity Dashboard for real-time monitoring.
- Development of bespoke Mombasa Corridor Congestion Trackers for operational alerts.
- Creation of evidence-based investment briefs for donor and infrastructure stakeholders.