The Kenyan government has affirmed its commitment to collaboration, peer review, and knowledge exchange to advance sustainable and green practices in port development.
Speaking at a workshop on Sustainable and Green Ports in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for Transport Mohammed Daghar highlighted Kenya’s dedication to decarbonization, alternative energy sources, digitalization, smart port technologies, and capacity-building for sustainable port operations.
PS Daghar noted that Kenya has made substantial progress toward achieving zero emissions in transportation, despite the high resource demands of such initiatives for a developing nation.
He emphasized the importance of partnerships with development partners, citing Kenya’s strong relationship with the United States in the shipping and maritime sectors.
Engineer Michael Muchiri, delivering the speech on his behalf, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for investment to reach sustainability goals.
The transport sector contributes around 20% of Kenya’s greenhouse gas emissions, with shipping accounting for approximately 3% of global emissions.
Although Kenya has a small registry of vessels, its strategic location on the East African coast serves as a key transit hub for landlocked neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2023, Kenya managed 35.98 million metric tons of cargo throughput and 1.62 million TEUs of containerized cargo, underscoring the importance of decarbonization in the shipping sector.
The Ministry of Roads and Transport recently revised the Integrated National Transport Policy (INTP) to incorporate environmental sustainability measures aimed at reducing carbon footprints in maritime transport.
To support climate-resilient infrastructure, the ministry has adopted climate-proofing standards and is developing long-term strategies for sustainable transport.
Regulations have been introduced to prevent and manage fuel spills and other hazardous materials, with initiatives to shift cargo transport from road to rail, pipeline for petroleum products, and inland waterways to reduce congestion and minimize population exposure.
Since 2023, Kenya has also promoted greener mobility, including investments in electric vehicles, fuel-efficient vehicles, noise reduction for vehicles and aircraft, advanced aviation technologies, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Market-based measures have also been adopted to lower the carbon footprint across the transport sector.
The workshop brought together officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy, CEOs from Kenyan state departments and agencies, leaders from intergovernmental organizations, private sector representatives, and media to discuss sustainable transport strategies.
