The Kenya Ports Authority(KPA) has today commissioned a newly constructed Dockyard tug jetty, a critical facility for the repair, servicing and fueling of marine crafts at the Port of Mombasa.

The modern jetty is a vital infrastructure that will improve immensely the maximum availability of marine crafts contributing to a faster ship turnaround time.

It is a modern facility connected to the land side by means of an access trestle of the same construction design as the main jetty.

Floating marine crafts play a crucial in port operations since Mombasa Port is classed as compulsory pilotage port, that further requires towing by harbour tugs, pilot and mooring boats with each playing a huge role in securing vessels that call the port to quay.

Speaking during the ceremony, KPA Board Chairman General Retired Joseph Kibwana noted that the new facility will hasten the repair and maintenance of the marine crafts further boosting efficiency and productivity at the Port of Mombasa.

On his part KPA acting Managing director Eng Rashid Salim said the new tug jetty which cost the Authority, 480 million to complete has overall length of 50m.

"It will accommodate all our harbour tugs as a temporary resting place and during the refilling of provisions and maintenance. In this respect, I would like to note particularly that the arrangement of the new tug jetty structural members is designed to meet local load transfer and stability requirements." said Salim.

Adding "The old and dilapidated jetty was often cited as an obstacle to efficient marine craft maintenance and posing as a workplace hazard or endangering the safety of users.Some mobile crane operators were reluctant to workon the old jettyas they feared the structure could collapse and plunge with them into the ocean."

The old Jetty made of reinforced concrete deck on tubular steel piles was constructed in the early 1950s.