Kenya is taking a leading role in a regional drive to strengthen port security and make navigation safer across the Eastern Africa-Southern Africa-Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO) region, with an international delegation beginning consultations in Nairobi and Mombasa on a common regional policy framework.
The five-day mission, running from September 28 to October 2, brings together experts working under the EU-funded Port Safety Programme to assess Kenya’s legal, institutional, technical and human-resource capabilities and gather national priorities that can inform the proposed regional policy on port security and safety of navigation.
The delegation, led by Dr Michele Stallone, Regional Coordinator of the programme, alongside Marine and Port Operations expert William Azuh and Maritime Information Systems Network expert Mourad Ghorbel, paid a courtesy call on Principal Secretary, State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Aden Abdi Millah in Nairobi at the beginning of the mission.
The consultations place Kenya at the centre of an increasingly important regional effort to ensure that the maritime gateways carrying trade into Eastern and Southern Africa are secure, resilient and capable of supporting the growth of regional economies. The programme brings together nine beneficiary countries, namely Kenya, Angola, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles and Tanzania, creating a platform for countries with different maritime capabilities to work towards greater consistency in port security and navigation safety.
For Kenya, the initiative comes at a strategic moment. The Port of Mombasa is a critical gateway for Kenya and neighboring economies, linking the region to international shipping routes and supporting the movement of goods through interconnected supply chains. The security and efficiency of such infrastructure therefore extends well beyond the boundaries of the port itself.
A secure port is also an economic asset. Stronger security arrangements can help protect critical maritime infrastructure, reduce the risk of disruptions and support confidence among shipping lines, logistics companies, cargo owners and investors. At the same time, safe navigation is fundamental to ensuring that vessels, crews and cargo can move through increasingly busy maritime corridors in a predictable operating environment.
Kenya is already investing in the technology needed to strengthen this environment. The Kenya Ports Authority recently commissioned the Vessel Traffic Management and Information System at Mombasa, providing an integrated platform for monitoring and managing vessel movements within the port and its approaches. The system brings together radar surveillance, vessel tracking, marine communications, meteorological monitoring, oil-spill detection and other digital capabilities across interconnected operational sites.
The VTMIS demonstrates the growing importance of technology in modern maritime governance. Better visibility of vessel movements can support faster decision-making, improve coordination and strengthen situational awareness. More than 30 Kenya Ports Authority staff have also undergone specialized training linked to the system, highlighting the importance of skilled personnel alongside technological investment.
The regional policy consultations can build on such national experience while addressing the wider challenge of interoperability and information sharing. Maritime security does not stop at national borders, and neither do the supply chains and shipping routes that connect the region to global markets.
The mission will therefore engage institutions including the Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Defence Forces and Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard Service and National Environment Management Authority. Such engagement reflects the breadth of actors involved in protecting maritime infrastructure and maintaining safe and efficient port operations.
A common regional framework, if eventually adopted and implemented, could provide greater consistency in approaches to port security and navigation safety while allowing countries to account for their different circumstances and capabilities. It could also create opportunities for stronger information exchange, institutional cooperation, technical training and the sharing of operational experience.
The importance of such cooperation is increasingly evident as maritime authorities confront a range of risks, from organized crime and illicit trafficking to accidents, navigational incidents and other disruptions capable of affecting shipping and port operations. The objective is not simply stronger security, but a maritime environment where security measures reinforce the efficiency and predictability required by legitimate commerce.
The EU-funded Port Safety Programme provides support for the policy development process, but the consultations themselves are focused on assessing national capabilities and shaping the proposed regional framework. Any benefits from implementation will depend on subsequent decisions, resources, institutional cooperation and adoption by participating countries.
For Kenya, the process offers an opportunity to ensure that its maritime priorities and experience contribute to the development of regional standards while strengthening links with international partners. It also complements the country’s broader ambitions in shipping, logistics, maritime trade and the blue economy.
The mission will culminate in a national consultation workshop in Mombasa on October 2, where stakeholders are expected to review preliminary findings and identify priorities for the regional policy process.
The significance extends beyond the policy document itself. By helping shape common approaches before maritime security and safety challenges become isolated national problems, Kenya is positioning its maritime institutions to contribute to a more coordinated regional operating environment.
For a region whose prosperity depends heavily on the uninterrupted movement of goods by sea, secure ports and safe navigation are not merely maritime concerns. They are foundations for resilient supply chains, competitive trade and the long-term growth of the Indian Ocean economy.
