The railroad launched the service with support from Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta as the country strives for reduced operational costs and transit times.
Kenya Railways commenced the first standard gauge railway cargo train from Mombasa to Nairobi, which arrived at Nairobi’s inland container depot on Monday, the railroad announced.
The SGR Line cargo train carried 52 wagons with cargo ranging from maize (corn) to TBL containers. Kenya’s Ports Authority head of Inland Container Deports Symon Wahome said that the train will increase efficiency and decrease transit times as daily operations increase from four to eight trains.
“While the meter train used to carry twenty to thirty containers, the standard gauge train will carry 216 containers,” Wahome told multiple local media outlets.
According to local reports, the cargo train service was launched in cooperation with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has promised to reduce business costs within the country.
Media outlets cited a New Year’s message delivered by Kenyatta, who said that the delivery of a world-class railway on time and within budget would attract world-class manufacturing and value-addition investments, which are critical to creating jobs and business opportunities.
