By Andrew Wasike
NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the 4,000-ton Kenya Shipyards Limited’s Mombasa Shipyard on Friday at the Kenya Navy Base in Mtongwe, Mombasa County.
Kenyatta who underscored the importance of shipbuilding to the manufacturing pillar of the country's Big Four development blueprint, noted that the shipyard will be vital for the East African region.
“The direct, indirect and induced impacts of the Mombasa Shipyard will create many jobs, generate diverse investment opportunities and raise revenue for the country. The key sub-sectors of the blue economy, which include maritime transport and logistics, fisheries, as well as ship-building and repair, represent low-hanging fruits that must be exploited,” said Kenyatta.
“The new shipyard heralds a new chapter in East Africa's shipbuilding industry,” he said.
Kenyatta said that the shipyard, the largest in the region, will serve the public and private commercial shipping needs for the East African region by designing and building new vessels, undertaking repairs among other specialized maritime services.
He directed responsible state agencies to formulate a comprehensive national training program design that will produce 4,000 qualified seafarers.
Kenyatta also called for the setting up of an open ship register, ship repair and building incentives, a bunkering and chandelling package as well as the exploration of fiscal possibilities of zero-rating taxation on imported fishing vessels.