Kenya’s Maritime Moment: Unlocking the Full Potential of the Blue Economy

By Andrew Mwangura

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Kenya’s position on the shores of the Indian Ocean has long made it a gateway to East and Central Africa. Yet despite this geographic advantage, our footprint in the global maritime space remains surprisingly modest.

If Kenya is to thrive in the coming decades, it must chart a new course—one that fully embraces the vast opportunities of the maritime economy across education, commerce, sustainability, and transport logistics.

The global maritime industry is not just about ships and cargo; it’s a trillion-dollar ecosystem encompassing trade, innovation, science, and livelihoods.

Kenya has the fundamentals to lead—not just in the region, but across the continent. What’s needed now is the political will, strategic investment, and a coordinated national approach.

Skilled Workforce for the Seas

Our ambitions must begin with our people. Maritime education and training are critical if Kenya is to supply the international shipping industry with qualified seafarers, engineers, and maritime professionals. 

Institutions such as Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa should be strengthened to meet International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards, while universities should introduce specialized maritime courses ranging from oceanography to marine law.

Kenyan youth deserve access to global maritime careers. By forming bilateral training partnerships with leading maritime nations and offering STCW-compliant certifications, we can ensure that our graduates are employable not only locally, but globally.

Commercial Maritime Sector

The Port of Mombasa is the busiest in East Africa, but it could become much more than a transit point. 

Kenya must develop a robust commercial maritime sector that includes locally owned shipping lines, marine insurance, ship repair yards, and maritime legal services.

Currently, most of our exports and imports are transported by foreign-owned vessels, which limits our revenue retention and strategic control.

To change this, the government should create incentives for ship registration under a Kenyan flag, support maritime SMEs, and digitise port processes to improve efficiency and transparency. 

There’s no reason Nairobi and Mombasa cannot evolve into key nodes in global shipping and maritime finance.

Harvesting the Ocean

Kenya’s Blue Economy framework—launched with much fanfare in recent years—must now transition from policy to practice.

With over 230,000 square kilometers of exclusive economic zone (EEZ), we have immense untapped potential in fisheries, marine biotechnology, aquaculture, offshore energy, and eco-tourism.

But this must be done sustainably. Our fisheries are vulnerable to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, while ocean ecosystems face growing threats from pollution and climate change.

Investment in marine research, enforcement capacity, and smart regulation will ensure that the Blue Economy becomes a long-term pillar of growth—not a short-term extraction industry.

Unlocking Regional Trade

Kenya’s transport and logistics backbone—anchored by the Port of Mombasa and linked via the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR)—must become more seamless. 

Upgrades in infrastructure, digitisation of customs clearance, and expansion of dry ports in Naivasha and Kisumu can reduce congestion and turnaround time, making Kenya more competitive for both regional and global trade.

There’s a need to Fast-track the establishment the Dry Port in Taveta subcounty of Taita Taveta County to link-up the Northern Corridor and Central Corridor in Tanzania.

The development of Lamu Port under the LAPSSET corridor, along with potential improvements to Lake Victoria’s inland waterway systems, can create a multi-port strategy that diversifies our maritime capacity and positions Kenya as the premier logistics hub of East Africa.

Maritime Strategy

Kenya urgently needs a comprehensive and inclusive national maritime strategy. This should align ministries, private sector actors, county governments, and regional partners under a unified maritime vision.

It should also prioritize youth employment, gender inclusion, and public-private partnerships that unlock long-term investment.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers a timely backdrop for this vision. With improved maritime infrastructure and capabilities, Kenya can serve as the coastal anchor for continental trade integration.

Turning the Tide

The Indian Ocean has carried the ambitions of traders, explorers, and empires for centuries. Today, it offers Kenya a chance to lead a new era of African maritime development.

If we invest wisely—in people, infrastructure, innovation, and sustainability—Kenya can transform from a coastal nation into a global maritime power.

The tide is turning; Kenya must sail with it.

The writer is a Maritime Affairs Analyst.