Kenya Ferry Services acquires New Engines

Last Updated 14 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Likoni channel users have a reason to rejoice following Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) acquisition of four ferry engines to be fitted in its fleet. The ferries which are a major means of transport in the area, have for long been in bad state inconveniencing transport operations in the area.

Two of the engines will be fitted in Mv Kilindini which has already seized operations and in the MV Nyayo. The Sh30 million engines were acquired from Germany.

“MV Kilindini has already been withdrawn from operations and is being fitted with two of the engines”, said KFS MD,Hassan Musa Hassan.

The ferries aged between 20 and 40 years have for a long time been experiencing breakdowns pausing threat to hundreds of daily ferry users. They are fitted with old model engines whose spare parts are hard to get.

The fleet which comprises of MV Mvita, MV Nyayo, MV Harambee, MV Kilindini and MV Pwani had 2 new ferries,MV Kwale and MV Likoni added to it in 2011. The two new ferries were received from a German supplier, Schiffs und Yachtwerft Dresden at a cost of Sh1.3 billion.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the government will buy two new ferries in the next financial year to boost operations at the Likoni channel. At the same time, it will release Sh200 million to expand the ramps to 40 metres to improve the landing of ferries.

Demand for ferry services in the region has been growing due its strategic position linking Mombasa Island to the Southern mainland which is host to the finest beach hotels in the country. The number of ferry users has risen from 160,000 per day to 200,000 while that of cars has risen from 3,000 to 5,700.

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