KBC Channel 1

Tag: Port

  • Dock workers issue strike notice over delayed CBA implementation

    Dock workers issue strike notice over delayed CBA implementation

    Dock workers have issued a strike notice over the alleged interference in union affairs by a senior officer at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

    Dock Workers’ Union is accusing the official of derailing the implementation of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

    The union’s secretary general Simon Sang said the union has credible information that a senior KPA officer who allegedly wields significant influence is being used to destabilise the union.

    “This malpractice is affecting the morale of our members, and we will not tolerate it any further. The unjustified delays we are experiencing in the processing of our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 2024–2027 are a clear indication of the influence this officer has at the SRC,” said Sang.

    “We have warned the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the said officer to stop this malpractice and operate professionally. These actions risk painting a very negative picture of the Judiciary, SRC, KPA and the government,” he added.

    The Sang further noted that members of the union have exercised patience while waiting for the implementation of the CBA, which was presented two years ago.

    “If we do not receive our CBA by the end of March 2026, we will have no choice but to call the mother of all strikes,” Sang declared.

    He added that KPA has remained peaceful and free of industrial action since 2016, as the union opted for dialogue to resolve key issues affecting workers. However, he said they are now counting down the days to stage a strike if their concerns are not addressed by management.

  • KPA projects 20pc growth in cargo capacity this year

    KPA projects 20pc growth in cargo capacity this year

    The Kenya ports Authority is projecting to handle 2.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) by the end of 2024 which is a 20pc growth compared to last year’s performance.

    According to the Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director, Captain William Ruto, the port has already handled 1.75 million TEUs with the growth attributed to enhanced operational efficiency.

    Speaking after a meeting with the Mombasa Port and Northern Corridor Community Charter Secretariat, Captain Ruto also revealed that plans are underway to extend Container Terminal 1 berth number 19B by an additional 240 meters, a move which he said is expected to boost the ports capacity by 300,000 TEUs annually.

  • Australian ports back online after cyber-attack

    Australian ports back online after cyber-attack

    One of Australia’s major port operators is back online after a cyber-attack crippled its facilities.

    Operations at DP World Australia container terminals in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth were disrupted from Friday to Monday morning.

    The firm manages around 40% of goods entering and leaving the country.

    The outage has not affected the supply of goods to major Australian supermarkets, the BBC understands.

    DP World Australia, a unit of the Dubai state-owned DP World, said its ports resumed operations at 9am local time “following successful tests of key systems overnight”.

    It added “The company expects that approximately 5,000 containers will move out of the four Australian terminals today.”

    Earlier on Monday, Darren Goldie, the government’s Cyber Security Coordinator, said the operator was making “good progress” at bringing its sites back online.

    He added that the government had not yet identified the perpetrators of the cyber-attack, which caused the firm to disconnect its ports from the internet.

    DP World said it halted internet connectivity at its ports on Friday to prevent “any ongoing unauthorised access” to its network.

    Going offline meant trucks had been unable to transport containers in and out of the affected sites.

    The resumption of service on Monday is the first step towards tackling the attack on its network. DP World said it was still in the process of investigating the disruption and guarding its systems against cyber attacks.

    “The resumption of port operations does not mean that this incident has concluded. DP World Australia’s investigation and ongoing remediation work are likely to continue for some time,” the company added.

    Double whammy

    DP World has also been affected by industrial action, which has caused a delay in customer deliveries.

    Since it began in October, workers have engaged in 24-hour strikes and refused to unload trucks.

    The Maritime Union of Australia, which is negotiating pay increases for workers, announced last week that the industrial action would be extended to 20 November.

    The cyber-attack added to fears that the supply of everything from medical equipment to Christmas toys could be disrupted.

    However, a spokesperson from supermarket chain Woolworths said it was monitoring the situation and does not “anticipate any immediate impacts at this time”.

    The BBC understands that Woolworths’ range of Christmas products has already arrived in Australia.

    The disruption is also not expected to affect rival chain Coles, which is similarly monitoring developments at DP World.

    Australia has seen a rise in cyber attacks since late-2022.

    Earlier this year, the Albanese government announced plans to overhaul its cybersecurity laws, and set up an agency to coordinate responses to intrusions.

    The government is expected to release details on its proposed rules next week – which will likely tighten reporting requirements for companies.

  • AfDB approves $23M loan for Ghana ship repair facility

    AfDB approves $23M loan for Ghana ship repair facility

    Prime Meridian Docks AssetCo has secured a loan to the tune of $23.04 million (Ksh 2.78b) for the construction of a ship repair facility in Ghana’s Tokodi port.

    The approval by the African Development Bank (AfDB) board will see the special purpose firm design, build, operate and maintain a world-class ship repair and maintenance facility in the Gulf of Guinea under a 25-year concession granted to the company by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

    The facility whose total cost is $137 million (Ksh 19b) will see PMD construct a 200-meter jetty, dredging of 300,000 cubic meters of rock in the port basin, and procuring and installing a 13,500-tonne lift capacity floating dock.

    “Vessel repair and maintenance is an underserved market on the continent. Investing in it will provide a more holistic approach to supporting maritime transport and its sustainability, which will accelerate regional integration and attract international trade and economic activity,” said Mike Salawou, AfDB Director for Infrastructure, Cities and Urban Development.

    Upon completion, the modern floating dock will offices, a warehouse, mechanical workshops for steel and pipe fabrication, electrical works, blasting and painting, and equipment maintenance, AfDB said.

    At least 400 permanent jobs are to be created from the project, 15pc of which are expected to go to women. This is significantly above the global average of 2pc in the maritime sector.

    The Board also authorized the syndication, on a “best efforts basis”, of additional financing of up to $11 million.