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Mombasa
Kenya
KEMBA
Moderate
Congestion Status
AIS limited in region
7d3.56 at anchor
Improving
Trend
10 Apr 2026
Updated 30d ago

Port Intelligence — What freight teams need to know

East Africa's largest port. 4-4.5 day waits through late 2025, driven by equipment shortages, high transhipment volumes, and off-window vessel bunching. Sustained congestion and reduced productivity reported. Second container terminal under construction. Hormuz closure is now diverting vessels to Kenya — Lamu (340km north) received 74 vessels since Jan 2026, relieving some Mombasa pressure but straining Kenya's overall port infrastructure.

Weekly Operational Update
Moderate

Week of 10 April 2026 · slightly_disrupted

Mombasa improving: 3.56 days (down from 4.6). Equipment shortages persist.

Vessels at Anchor — 4-week trend

—22–28 days ago
—15–21 days ago
—8–14 days ago
3.56Last 7 days
Situation is improving
Customs Reality at Mombasa
7d
Published free time
4d
Effective free time

Kenyan customs improving but still slow. Multiple agencies involved. SGS pre-shipment inspection required for some goods.

Demurrage: $20/TEU/day · Detention: $12/TEU/day

Common Rejection Reasons

  • KEBS standards compliance certificate missing
  • KEPHIS import permits for plant products
  • Pre-shipment inspection certificate (PVoC) not obtained

Known Holds

Most imports
PVoC (Pre-Export Verification of Conformity) required for many product categories. Must be obtained in origin country before shipment.
Obtain PVoC from approved inspection body in origin country before shipping.
Cold Chain Reality at Mombasa
Mitigation:Plan genset for 5+ days. Monitor equipment status.
Failure point:Terminal — equipment-constrained discharge
Significance:Moderate — Kenya imports processed food, exports horticultural products (flowers, vegetables)
Primary failure mode:Equipment shortages reducing reefer handling capacity. 4-5 day waits deplete genset.
Reefer plug availability:Under pressure — equipment shortages
Alternative Ports to Mombasa

If disruption makes Mombasa unviable for your cargo

Dar es SalaamTZDAR
+$50/TEU
500 nm away+0h wait
Works for: Tanzania/DRC cargo.
Not for: Kenya domestic market.
CargoPilot®

Cargo Intelligence Platform

Know exactly what's happening to your cargo — before it becomes a problem.

CargoPilot applies deep AI analysis to every shipment moving through Mombasa — surfacing risks, customs traps, and delay patterns your freight team would otherwise miss.

  • AI-powered risk analysis on every shipment
  • Port disruption alerts delivered before they hit
  • Customs, demurrage & detention intelligence

First 3 shipments free. No credit card required.

Live AIS Vessels

AIS coverage limited at this port. The free AIS tier has restricted coverage in some regions, particularly mainland China ports and parts of the Middle East.

Money Traps at Mombasa
PVoC not obtained pre-shipment
Without PVoC, cargo cannot clear customs. Must be obtained at origin before departure.
Obtain PVoC from approved body (SGS, Bureau Veritas etc.) before shipping.
Equipment-driven delays
4-5 day waits from equipment shortages. Not fixable by documentation.
Budget for delays. Consider Dar es Salaam for Tanzania-bound cargo to reduce Mombasa exposure.
Seasonal Patterns
Mar-May, Oct-Nov (Rainy seasons)
Heavy rains disrupt road transport to Nairobi and Uganda.
Buffer inland transport times.

Sources

Port intelligence: CargoPilot curated research

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