NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 18– Lamu Port has received a second vessel carrying at least 3,000 vehicles originally destined for the Middle East, Kenyan authorities said on Wednesday, as ongoing conflict in the region disrupts shipping routes.
The Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Project said the vessel, Grande Florida, operated by Grimaldi Group, docked at the port carrying 3,800 cars from Yokohama, Japan.
The shipment had initially been scheduled for discharge at Port of Jebel Ali but was diverted due to escalating hostilities linked to the Israel-U.S.-Iran conflict, which has affected several Middle Eastern countries.
The car carrier has a capacity of 9,000 units, LAPSSET said, adding that the latest delivery brings the total number of vehicles handled at Lamu Port to over 4,200.
The vehicles will be stored in the port’s warehouses as authorities anticipate further diversions.
“Lamu Port is expecting more vessels to divert, as several shipping agents have already inquired about docking space. Port activity is expected to progress upwards as the year goes by,” LAPSSET said in a statement.
The development comes as hostilities in the Middle East enter their 19th day, disrupting key maritime trade routes and forcing shipping companies to seek alternative ports along the Indian Ocean corridor.
Earlier this month, on March 10, another 9,000-capacity pure car carrier, MV Grande Auckland, made its maiden call at Lamu Port, offloading 469 vehicles manufactured in Europe.
That shipment had also been rerouted from Jebel Ali.
Since January, a total of 43 vessels have docked at Lamu Port, reflecting growing confidence in the facility’s efficiency and its strategic position along global shipping lanes.
Munir Minas, chartering and business development manager for Africa at Nisomar Shipping Agency, said the port’s operational standards and security for high-value cargo were attracting international shipping lines.
He added that Lamu’s proximity to Middle Eastern markets, compared with alternatives such as Madagascar, enhances its appeal as a transshipment hub.
Lamu Port is part of the LAPSSET corridor project, a major regional infrastructure plan linking Kenya with Ethiopia and South Sudan through ports, highways and pipelines.