Kenya’s Port of Mombasa handled 45.45 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2025, representing a 10.9 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to figures released by the Kenya Ports Authority.

The growth reflects rising regional trade activity and increased reliance on Mombasa as a key maritime gateway for East and Central Africa.

“This marks a significant growth in regional trade which calls for capacity expansion to meet trade demands,” said William Ruto, Managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority, in a statement issued on Thursday.

Container traffic also recorded steady growth, with total volumes rising by 5.5 percent to 2.11 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2025, compared to two million units in 2024.

According to the authority, transit cargo volumes increased sharply to 15.88 million metric tonnes, up from 13.29 million metric tonnes the previous year, representing a 19.5 percent rise. All major transit markets recorded growth, underscoring Mombasa’s regional importance.

Uganda registered a 25.2 percent increase in transit cargo, followed by Rwanda at 22.8 percent, the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 16.5 percent, and Tanzania at 11 percent.

“This reaffirms Mombasa’s position as the most reliable and most preferred trade corridor,” Ruto said, adding that every port facility under the authority recorded growth during the year.

The Port of Lamu posted the strongest performance, handling 799,161 metric tonnes of cargo in 2025, up from 74,380 metric tonnes in the previous year. The increase was largely driven by containerised cargo, with 55,687 container units processed during the period.

“With more shipping lines introducing regular services at Lamu, this is a promise for more cargo volumes through the port in the subsequent years,” Ruto said.

He added that the authority is investing heavily in sustainable infrastructure development to expand port capacity, with several initiatives currently underway to support long-term trade growth and regional connectivity.