SGR gets 18 engines, 60 wagons ahead of launch
A police officer stands next to a standard gauge railway locomotive at the port of Mombasa during the launch of cargo services by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 30, 2017. Kenya Railways has received more locomotives. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Double stacking will play a critical role in reducing congestion at the port.
Kenya Railways has received more locomotives and wagons in readiness for the commissioning of the standard gauge railway freight services.
The fleet of 18 freight locomotives and 60 wagons designed for double-stacking of containers was offloaded at the Port of Mombasa on Saturday.
KR Managing Director Atanas Maina said freight services will commence this year.
CONGESTION
Double stacking will play a critical role in reducing congestion at the port.
“We have a team working round the clock to ensure all aspects of freight operations are in place.
"The inland container depot at Embakasi (Nairobi), which is a key installation for Kenya’s railway operations, is on course for completion by September,” Mr Maina said.
RELIEF FOOD
He added: “Already, the freight trains have been engaged to assist in the transportation of relief food imported by the government. We have transported close to 30,000 tonnes to date.
“This has also served as an appropriate testing phase for the freight rolling stock, which I must say has performed as required.”
LAUNCH
The SGR line has been in use for slightly over a month since the project was commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 31.
The Madaraka Express trains do a train a day, carrying an average of 80 twenty-foot containers of grains over around eight hours between Mombasa and Nairobi while travellers have embraced the passenger service.
