Kenya is set to host the first Regional Cabotage Conference in November as the country pushes for the formation of the East African cabotage in the maritime sector.

The Cabinet Secretary in the ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Salim Mvurya said  the government is working towards formulating a cabotage policy that will regulate the industry.

This he said will enable shipping business to be available and accessible to local and regional businessmen as well as international shipping lines to venture into the shipping business.

“The conference will be an opportunity for Kenyan to take leadership in maritime affairs and enable local and regional businessmen to take on the shipping business,” said Mvurya.

Adding " November will be a very special month for Kenya since we will also be launching our bid for re-election in Category ‘c’ of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2024-25 biennium.

The CS revealed that Mombasa county government has agreed to co-sponsor the conference.

 On his part Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir noted "This is something that is long overdue and as the Mombasa county government we are very pleased to be part of the conference."

Mvurya was speaking in Mombasa at the new KMA headquarters after holding a meeting with all the leaders of state corporations under the state department of Shipping and Maritime.

He said that there were a number of issues stakeholders were raising including local participation and that the conference will provide a platform to address the issues.

The meeting he said was also to welcome the new PS state department of maritime and shipping affairs Geofrrey Kautuko who takes over from Shadrack Mwadime.

Mvurya said that they government has prioritized and approved the Kenya Shipping Line to be the clearing agency for all government cargo.

“This was also part of the inauguration of the new PS to ensure they work closely with Kenya shipping line to be able to be government’s clearing agency,” he said.

Also discussed in the meeting was the Bandari Maritime Academy Sh19.8 billion master plan which Mvurya said will be implemented in phases.

Phase 1 he said will cost Sh2.4 billion with priority given to the setting up of a survival center at a cost of Sh1.4 billion.

The government he said had so far approved the release os Sh500 million to start the project in this financial year.

“The center will be key for our seafarers and all trainees from the academy to enable them to effectively participate in shipping and also secure jobs in the sector,” Mvurya said.

The CS added that they also reviewed the presidential directive of training coxswains that is expected to be completed in December.

So far, they had done training 300 coxswains in Lamu with 200 expected to receive their certificates in November.

He said that the recruitment of seafarers was ongoing as he directed the Bandari Maritime Academy management to relook at their charges to be affordable to the region’s youth.

“We are also mobilizing governors and MPs from the region to help facilitate the training of our youths in the region. We are also engaging international shipping lines to help secure job opportunities for them,” he said.

Mvurya at the same time added that plans were underway to establish a comprehensive regional rescue center that will coordinate search and rescue operations at the new KMA facility to guard the marine waters.

He said that another center will be set up to watch over the lakes revealing that plans were underway to establish a similar center in Kisumu.