Business
Uganda to build inland port to reduce reliance on Kenya port of Mombasa
The cargo will then be shipped over the lake to Bukasa.
Tanzania also plans to extend its rail network from Arusha to Musoma port to create an alternative route to be covered by both rail and marine transport, Okello said.
“Getting an alternative to the sea is top, top priority and so we have identified a site for this inland port already and procured a contractor,” Okello said.
“We estimate the entire project will take about US$180 million and the contractor should be starting work by June this year … completion will take about three years,” he said.
The Uganda government estimates the inland port will have capacity to handle eight million tonnes of cargo a year. A reduction on cargo shipments via road on the so-called northern route from Mombasa through Kenya and Uganda, would also reduce the damage on Ugandan roads caused by the rattle of heavy trucks and save money on repairs, Okello said.
