Substandard vessels, which might sometimes be detained are actually coming into the port unchecked. PHOTO/FILE
By Andrew Mwangura
newshub@eyewitness.africa
The Port of Mombasa, a significant gateway for East African maritime commerce, is presently dealing with what can solely be described as a whole breakdown in Port State Management (PSC) inspections.
This regarding growth not solely undermines regional maritime security requirements but additionally threatens Kenya’s standing throughout the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU) on PSC.
Port State Management inspections have successfully ceased at Mombasa Port. Regardless of having three certified inspectors on the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), who possess Class 1 (Deck/Engineering) certifications and have accomplished the required “Port & Flag State Implementation Programs” overseas, none are presently conducting these essential security inspections.
As a substitute, these certified personnel have reportedly been reassigned to different duties throughout the organisation. The implications are critical. Overseas vessels coming into Mombasa’s waters are now not topic to the rigorous security, safety, and environmental compliance checks that PSC inspections are designed to make sure.
This lapse raises important considerations in regards to the potential dangers related to substandard vessels working unchecked in Mombasa’s waters. You will need to notice that PSC inspections are demanding when carried out correctly.
An intensive inspection sometimes limits an inspector to inspecting only one or two vessels per day, adopted by administrative work to submit findings to the Indian Ocean Regional PSC centre. This intensive course of requires dedication, experience, and institutional help—qualities that look like missing at current.
The obvious reassignment of certified inspectors highlights a broader concern: the KMA appears to lack the capability to keep up each Port State Management and Flag State inspections. This capability hole raises considerations about useful resource allocation, institutional priorities, and Kenya’s dedication to upholding worldwide maritime requirements.
First, there are security dangers. Substandard vessels, which might sometimes be detained or required to deal with deficiencies, are actually coming into the port unchecked. This creates the potential for critical security hazards on the water, endangering each the vessels and the individuals aboard them.
Moreover, there’s a risk to Kenya’s fame throughout the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU). With out common PSC inspections, Kenya’s standing throughout the regional framework could possibly be jeopardised, which can, in flip, have an effect on how Kenyan-flagged vessels are handled at different ports within the area.
Environmental considerations at Mombasa port have emerged as a consequence of the dearth of inspections. PHOTO/FILE
Environmental considerations additionally emerge as a consequence of the dearth of inspections. With out correct scrutiny, vessels with potential environmental violations could proceed to function with out detection, contributing to marine air pollution and environmental degradation.
Maybe most regarding is the regulatory regression that this example represents. Years of progress in strengthening maritime security and compliance are being undermined, placing in danger the hard-won enhancements which have been made to uphold worldwide maritime requirements.
The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and different related Kenyan authorities should urgently deal with this hole in maritime oversight. Key steps ought to embody:
Reassigning certified inspectors again to their PSC duties.
Creating a sustainable capacity-building programme to coach and improve the variety of certified inspectors.
Reaffirming Kenya’s dedication to the IOMOU and different worldwide maritime conventions to make sure continued compliance with international requirements.
Failure to take swift motion may have far-reaching penalties for each the protection of Mombasa Port and Kenya’s place within the international maritime group.
With out immediate motion, Mombasa dangers turning into often known as a “port of comfort”, the place substandard transport can function with minimal scrutiny. Such a fame would severely harm Kenya’s maritime ambitions and its management throughout the area.
The cessation of PSC inspections is not only an administrative lapse—it’s a important regression in Kenya’s maritime governance. This matter calls for instant consideration from all stakeholders concerned to make sure the nation stays dedicated to upholding worldwide requirements of maritime security and safety.
