Kenya Acquires New Ferry for a Crossing Plagued by Safety Concerns

Kenya is moving to address perennial challenges at the Likoni ferry crossing in the coastal city of Mombasa with the acquisition of a new vessel, which will ease the pressure on an aging fleet. The ferry is the only transport connection on the south shore of Mombasa's central island; the north half of the island connects to the mainland with three road bridges.

In recent months, the 1,600-foot Likoni channel crossing has become a major source of safety concerns. Disturbing bystander videos show high risks due to chaotic crowd control, vessel breakdowns and vehicle accidents as thousands of commuters cross the channel connecting Mombasa Island to the mainland south coast.

The rising safety risks at the crossing stem from infrastructure challenges and operational hazards that face the Kenya Ferry Services. The state agency operates an aging fleet that offers services to over 300,000 people and 6,000 vehicles that cross the channel every day.

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The ferries that offer service on the channel are the MV Mvita and MV Pwani, which were bought in 1969 and 1974 respectively, and the MV Nyayo, MV Harambee, and MV Kilindini, allbought in 1990. Two other ferries, the MV Kwale and MV Likoni were acquired in 2010 while MV Jambo was purchased in 2020. Notably, Harambee, Nyayo, and Kilindini lost their classification in 2010 due to unseaworthiness.

Operating an aging fleet continues to cause major safety risks and challenges at the channel. The challenges include overcrowding and boarding chaos with massive crowds of pedestrians, motorcycles, and vehicles competing for limited space on the ferries. The vessels experience frequent mechanical failures, including engine malfunctions and broken ramps.

In addition, the steep descents to the ferry ramps lack safety barriers, which has repeatedly led to tragic accidents - including vehicles plunging into the channel or hitting crowds on the ramps. A case in point was in September 2019 when a woman and her four-year-old daughter died after their car rolled backward off the ramp of Harambee and plunged into the Indian Ocean.

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The Kenyan government is moving to ease the ferry crossing challenges at the Likoni channel after President William announced plans to acquire a new vessel at a cost of $23 million. The high capacity ferry is expected to be delivered in the next six months.

“I’ve just witnessed the people of Mombasa trying to cross the sea using the ferry this morning. I want to tell you that my government is building you a new ferry before December this year at a cost of KSh3 billion,” said the Kenyan president. He added that an additional $3.8 million will be spent on improving mobility and transport infrastructure within the coastal city of Mombasa to spur economic activities, specifically tourism.