The Port of Lamu has received MV Hamouna, a 366-metre container vessel carrying approximately 14,500 TEUs, highlighting the port’s growing capacity to handle some of the world’s largest ships.
About 5,200 TEUs will be discharged at Lamu Port before being transshipped to various destinations by smaller feeder vessels.
MV Hamouna navigated approximately 14 nautical miles through the Eastern Channel before successfully berthing at the port on Saturday.
Speaking after the vessel docked, Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Captain William Ruto said the arrival demonstrated Lamu’s growing importance as a strategic maritime hub along the LAPSSET Corridor.
“This is the first vessel to discharge over 5,000 TEUs at once. Even our Mombasa Port has not surpassed this figure, making Lamu Port the next frontier in the maritime industry,” said Captain Ruto.
Captain Ruto said the planned construction of the Dangote East Africa Refinery would further boost port operations and create additional opportunities for maritime and logistics services in the region.
The Port of Lamu’s ability to accommodate large vessels is supported by its deep-water harbour and modern berthing infrastructure, with berths reaching approximately 17.5 metres in depth.
MV Hamouna is among the largest vessels to call at Lamu this year. Earlier, MV Baltimore Express, a 369-metre container vessel operated by Hapag-Lloyd, also docked at the port.
In August 2025, another Hapag-Lloyd vessel, MV Nagoya Express, measuring 335 metres, set a previous vessel-size record at the Port of Lamu.
As part of the traditional maiden-call ceremony, Captain Ruto presented a certificate of first call and a plaque to the vessel’s master, Captain M. Firoozi.
The Port of Lamu is a deep-water facility in Manda Bay and serves as the anchor project of the LAPSSET Corridor, linking Kenya with Ethiopia and South Sudan through road, rail and pipeline networks.
Its harbour has depths of between 17.5 and 60 metres, while the first three operational berths each have a 400-metre quay.
The port can handle Panamax and Post-Panamax vessels carrying more than 10,000 TEUs and has an annual capacity of up to 1.2 million TEUs.
Cargo handled at the port increased to 799,161 tonnes in 2025.