Cargo Train Rolls Out From Mombasa With 108 Containers In One Historic Trip

Kenya Railways has launched a dedicated block train service that aims to change how cargo moves between Mombasa and Nairobi. The CMA CGM block train set off on Wednesday, October 28, on its first trip from the coast to the Inland Container Depot in Embakasi.

A block train moves common cargo bound for one destination without splitting it up along the way. This means containers stay together from the port to the final stop.

The inaugural trip was overseen by Transport Principal Secretary Mohamed Daghar and France’s Ambassador to Kenya, Wadid Benaabou. The train carried 108 twenty-foot equivalent units in a single journey.

Kenya Railways said the launch is an important step towards better connectivity between the port and the hinterland. The new service will reinforce the Standard Gauge Railway and the Madaraka Freight operations, which already handle nine to ten blocks daily.

The service is the result of teamwork between Kenya Railways, the Kenya Ports Authority and CMA CGM. The three will coordinate vessel discharge, container sorting, transfer to rail, train scheduling and final unloading at Embakasi.

A CMA CGM block train carries only CMA CGM containers. Each trip usually has a pre-allocated block of 50 to 100 or more units. The trains run point to point between coastal terminals and inland hubs, which cuts port waiting time and reduces handling along the way.

Moving freight from highways to rail also brings an environmental gain. It cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 67 per cent compared with long-distance trucking.

Kenya now joins a long list of countries served by CMA CGM. Similar block train services operate in Mexico, India, Thailand, China, Brazil and Southern Africa, where they link Beira and Harare.

Kenya Railways is inviting importers, exporters, shipping lines and cargo owners to explore these dedicated rail freight options. The company says the partnership will also bring benefits beyond Nairobi. The wider rail and inland logistics network is expected to open doors to markets in Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

https://x.com/kenyans/status/2115445257462559150?s=46

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