Posted on December 4, 2017
By Alphonce Gari, The Star
Construction of the first three berths of the Lappset corridor project is 40 per cent complete, officials said on Thursday.
The port will be the largest in East Africa.
Members of the board of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport project toured the berths on Thursday and said they were satisfied with the progress.
They included chairman Francis Muthaura, CEO Sylvester Kasuku and Public Works PS Paul Maringa.
The three are among 32 berths to be constructed in the Lamu port and will be completed by end of July next year.
Addressing journalists at the site in Kililana, Kasuku said the Chinese contractor was dredging the seabed.
He said they were also reclaiming land for the container terminal, the berths and the construction of the 1.5-kilometer causeway.
The seabed dredged will be 18 metres deep during low tide and 21 metres deep during high tide, Kasuku said.
He said the dredging was halfway done and will be complete by next year.
Kasuku said the government had contracted South African company to construct the 537-kilometre road that will link Lamu, Isiolo and South Sudan.
The 500-kilometer Isiolo-Moyale road is complete.
He said the project will open up remote areas in the northern region to create jobs for Kenyans.
Lamu port will accommodate cargo vessels that are 400 meters long and maritime trade will increse, Kasuku said.
He said the vessels’ draught is 16 meters.
Maringa said the berths had shown that the vision for Lamu was beginning to take shape.
He said the government plans to build a resort city for one million people in Lamu.
“The county is growing in the form of trade between Kenya and other countries. This port will be the hub recognised for infrastructure and industrialisation like Shanghai,” Maringa said.
He said recreational resort cities will also be build to open up investment opportunities and tourism.
“Lamu will be like China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Singapore that are the leaders in crude oil processing,” Maringa said.
Other projects alongside the Lapsset include a railway, an international airport and crude oil pipeline.
Hosipitals and schools will also be built.
Source: The Star
