Businesses with containers held at the Port of Mombasa have been offered a rare chance to clear long-pending costs after authorities introduced a 30-day waiver on all accumulated storage and customs warehouse charges.
The move, communicated through the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is designed to ease expenses for traders whose goods have remained at the port far beyond the allowed timelines.
The chamber informed its members that they must submit their applications by December 6, 2025 to enjoy the full waiver. The relief package targets containerised cargo that has stayed in the port or customs warehouses for extended periods, often due to delayed documentation, financial hurdles or stalled clearance procedures.
Alongside the relief from port and customs fees, shipping lines have also been instructed to extend a complete waiver on demurrage costs linked to these containers. “This waiver is granted upon lodgement of a waiver application by the affected customers,” the KNCCI said.
The chamber explained that the 30-day window is intended to help businesses free themselves from high charges that accumulate when goods overstay.
For many importers and exporters, these charges have grown into heavy burdens, slowing operations and locking up capital. The temporary measure is meant to give companies room to move their cargo and restore cash flow.
However, the notice pointed out that the waiver does not include primary port charges, rail freight costs or standard shipping line service fees such as delivery order and terminal handling. It also does not cover statutory taxes, all of which will still be required before cargo can be released.
KNCCI urged its members to act without delay, warning that the window will close once the December 6 deadline passes.
“Members with long stay containerised cargo at the Port of Mombasa are strongly advised to take immediate action and lodge the necessary waiver application with the authorities to benefit from this 100 per cent relief before the deadline of 6th December 2025,” the statement reads.
The chamber further encouraged businesses that may need support or clarification during the application process to reach out to its secretariat. It noted that timely submission is the only way firms can take advantage of the relief, stressing that the waiver will not be extended to anyone who misses the deadline.
