In a historic feat that cements its rapid ascent, the Port of Lamu recently welcomed the largest vessel ever to dock at any port in East and Central Africa.

The arrival of the MV Baltimore Express, a colossal container ship measuring 369 meters in length, served as a definitive statement on the capabilities of Kenya’s newest deep-water facility.

Spanning nearly the length of three football pitches, the vessel docked effortlessly at Lamu’s 400-meter quay, in a manner that would be impossible at many regional ports struggling with shallower channels.

This visit highlights the port’s unique natural advantage of a depth of 17.5 meters. Unlike many African ports that require costly and constant dredging to accommodate modern mega-ships, Lamu’s natural harbour allows Panamax and post-Panamax vessels to sail in with minimal intervention.

As Captain Abdulaziz Mzee, the KPA General Manager for Lamu, noted, this capability lifts Lamu’s profile onto the global maritime map, comparing it favourably to developed hubs like Singapore, Rotterdam, and Hamburg.

However, the port’s emergence is about more than just handling large ships; it is about its evolving role as a critical transit and transshipment hub. The MV Baltimore Express, operated by Hapag-Lloyd, performed complex restows of dangerous cargo during its stay, demonstrating the port's technical capacity to handle specialized transshipment operations.

Strategically, Lamu is also actively reshaping East African logistics by positioning itself as a gateway to the Great Lakes region. A turning point in this strategy was marked by the arrival of the MV Jolly Oro recently, which handled the first container cargo destined for Burundi.

This shipment was originally scheduled for transshipment through Dar es Salaam but was officially rerouted via a C11 customs amendment form, a clear indication of trade stakeholders' confidence in Lamu’s efficiency.

This shift is part of a broader trend initiated last year when the French shipping giant CMA CGM redirected its transshipment cargo from Mombasa to Lamu.

By absorbing this traffic, Lamu allows Mombasa to focus on direct imports and exports, thereby optimizing the national maritime capacity. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KPA) has supported this transition with streamlined customs procedures, ensuring that transit cargo is cleared rapidly under the Northern Corridor framework.

The industry has responded positively to these developments. The Kenya Ships Agents Association (KSAA) has urged the port authority to solidify this momentum with competitive incentives, while the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) views the strategy as a potential turning point for regional trade resilience.

Commissioned in 2021 under the LAPSSET Corridor project, Lamu Port initially faced low utilization. Today, it stands on the cusp of a major transformation.

By combining deep-water infrastructure with strategic transit operations, Lamu is rapidly establishing itself as the transshipment heart of East Africa.