By Fred Kai.
The Kenyan Government projects that in the next two years, beginning July, 2019, it would have started to construct a 1.6 kilometer bridge at Likoni that connects Mombasa and Kwale counties.
Senior Engineer, Samuel Omer, who is the director – Highway Planning and Design, says regular ferry breakdowns often result in large economic losses, given when they stop working unexpectedly, they paralyse the transportation of people between the mainland and Mombasa island.
“We are at the advanced stages in our plan. The construction of the Likoni Bridge should begin two years from now if all goes well,” said Omer.
The senior engineer says the bridge will boost economic progress in Kwale and Mombasa counties.
The Kenya Ferry Service (KFS) says it currently ferries over 300,000 pedestrians and more than 6,000 vehicles daily across the channel.
There are five operating ferries. MV Nyayo, MV Harambee and MV Kilindini, MV Likoni and MV Kwale. Currently the company is in the process of acquiring two new ferries.
Since the company’s core business is concentrated within the larger Port area, KFS is categorised as a Port facility. Consequently, it is subject to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations regarding Port facilities security.
The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), which is the local enforcement agency, assesses and certifies the facility’s security plan which is developed and reviewed after every four years as required by the International Ship and Port facility Security (ISPS) code.
