Government is set to begin the exercise of inspecting marine vessels operating in the country.
Speaking in Mombasa after a meeting with top officials from Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), Bandari Maritime College and Kenya shipping line, Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Salim Mvurya noted the exercise which will will involve vessels of 24 metres and below will begin on April 1st.
Mvurya noted the government has already offered a waiver for the exercise which will include vessels in the Indian Ocean and Inland waters across the country
"The reason we want to carry out the major inspection is to make sure that those vessels are worthiness in terms of where they are being operated and meet the set criteria. We want to also register all vessels to help us in managing rescue operations, just incase we have a missing vessel we can know. We will be giving the vessels unique identities as part of making sure that they operate within a safe environment " said Mvurya.
Adding "This will also enable us have a good data base of the vessels in the Indian Ocean and the Inland waters . The exercise will be free and will run for 12 months."
The exercise will be spearheaded by the Kenya Maritime Authority.
The CS also announced the appointment of Dr Eric Lewa Katana as the Director and Chief Executive Office of the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) effective February 12, 2024.
Dr Katana brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having distinguished himself as a seasoned maritime administrator with a proven track record of service within the sector.
Before his appointment at BMA, he served as the Principal at the Kenya School of Revenue Administration (KESRA) Mombasa Campus.
His extensive career includes tenure at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), where he held various positions, steadily ascending to the role of Principal Port Logistics Officer.
Katana boasts a Bachelor of Science (Honors) Degree from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Nairobi, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration from JKUAT, and a Diploma in Business Management from the Kenya Institute of Management.
"We have confidence in him and believe that he is going to bring changes to our institution." said Mvurya.
Mvurya further revealed that the Bandari Maritime College will be reviewing its fees for seafarers training following concerns from stakeholders
Mvurya noted "There has been alot of discussion and concern from the youths and leaders that the training is very expensive, we are expecting that in the next two weeks Bandari maritime college and the Kenya maritime authority (KMA) will be coming up with new figures"
