Lead image for Dubai-based Logistics Firm to Develop Mombasa SEZ Park.
Dubai-based logistics firm, DP World, plans to develop a 222-hectare special economic zone (SEZ) near the Port of Mombasa, deepening its investment in Kenya as competition intensifies among firms seeking to capture East Africa's growing trade flows.
- DP World signed an agreement with GulfCap Africa to develop the Mombasa Industrial Park, an industrial and logistics hub to be built in phases less than 20 kilometres from the region’s busiest seaport. The first phase will cover 40 hectares.
- GulfCap Group is chaired by Mombasa businessman and politician Suleiman Shahbal, whose portfolio includes Gulf African Bank and GulfCap Real Estate.
- DP World already has a logistics presence in Kenya and said the industrial park would complement its broader strategy of linking ports, transport networks and manufacturing zones into integrated trade corridors.
“This project will not only strengthen regional trade and supply chain connectivity but also create thousands of employment opportunities, attract new investment and contribute meaningfully to Kenya's socio-economic development,” said Mohammed Akoojee, CEO and Managing Director for Africa at DP World.
In October last year, DP World launched a Port Community System alongside the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and the national government through the eCitizen platform. The centralized digital system was developed alongside EMEA Port Logistics to digitalize customs clearance and cargo tracking.
The SEZ project adds to a wave of investment in industrial parks and logistics infrastructure around the Kenyan coast, where developers are betting that demand for warehousing, manufacturing space, and regional distribution facilities will continue to rise as the country ramps up its profile as a regional gateway.
“By creating an environment where businesses can manufacture, distribute and access global markets more efficiently, we are helping unlock new opportunities for trade, investment and sustainable economic growth,” said Yuvraj Narayan, Group CEO of DP World.
In May this year, Mohammed Akoojee said that the company has invested as much as US$4 billion across the continent over the past five years and plans to commit a further US$4 billion to new port corridors and logistics infrastructure.
Competition for East Africa's logistics infrastructure extends beyond DP World. AD Ports, another UAE-based operator, has been active in logistics corridors in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Egypt.