The Port of Mombasa has made history after receiving the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessel to ever dock at an East African port.
The milestone highlights the port’s growing capacity to handle next-generation, eco-friendly ships as global maritime transport shifts toward cleaner energy solutions.
The Norwegian-flagged vehicle carrier Höegh Australis measures 200 metres long and 37.84 metres wide, with a capacity of 9,304 vehicles across 16 decks.
The ship left Singapore and is set to discharge 824 motor vehicles and accessories destined for Kenya and neighbouring landlocked countries.
The one-year-old Roll-On/Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) vessel runs on 98 per cent LNG fuel, with only two per cent traditional bunker fuel used during engine start-up and specific operations, a shift that significantly cuts emissions compared to conventional marine fuel.
Globally, LNG-powered vessels are increasingly being adopted in response to tougher International Maritime Organisation environmental regulations.
LNG use drastically reduces sulphur oxides and particulate matter, lowers nitrogen oxides and also cuts carbon dioxide emissions compared to heavy fuel oil.
Many LNG vessels are already being built ammonia-ready, allowing for future conversion to zero-carbon fuels.
While ammonia ships are entering service, infrastructure and safety gaps remain, making LNG a bridge fuel as the push toward full decarbonisation continues.
The gigantic vessel was successfully guided from the outer anchorage to the berth by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Chief Pilot Capt.
Suleiman Bakari, who represented the KPA Managing Director, Capt. William Ruto, during the historic call on Boxing Day.
Capt. Bakari described the Höegh Australis as the largest vessel ever to dock at a Kenyan port, praising its advanced green technology.
“This sits very well with the Green Port Policy of KPA, which is aligned to Kenya’s national clean energy objectives,” stated Capt. Bakari, extolling the vessel company, Höegh Autoliners, for trusting KPA to handle the vessel safely.
The Chief Pilot reaffirmed KPA’s commitment to shipping and logistics firms to serve their interests to their satisfaction.
“We are very happy to inform the rest of the world that KPA itself is well aligned to serving these vessels, and they should feel welcomed, and they should be confident of good service in this port,” he said.
“I can attest to the technologies on board this ship. I handled the ship myself as a pilot this evening, and I can attest to the good handling, the good navigation capabilities of the ship, and the good command of Captain Edgar Paul,” he added.
The Ship Agent, Socopao Kenya Limited, Regional Manager Satish Nair, said the port has recorded an important milestone on the arrival of the LNG-powered vessel, urging stakeholders to embrace green energy.
Nair noted that shipping lines are striving to reduce their carbon footprint through the adoption of eco-friendly fuels, citing the LNG-powered vessel as having minimal emissions. “It’s not even 0.005. It’s less than that,” he said.
The vessel Captain Edgar Paul, thanked KPA pilots for steering the ship safely and smoothly to anchor at berth number one without any scratches.
“For this type of vessel, this is my first command here. Actually, this is also my first command for this type of vessel,” said Capt. Paul, noting that he’s the first reliever of the vessel and has commanded it for four months.
By Sadik Hassan
