Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline set for April commissioning

Mechanical and electrical works for the new Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline are now complete paving the way for the completion of the project by the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) later this month.

The Sh48 billion, four year-long project is set to increase the capacity of petroleum product units transported between the two cities.

Speaking during a tour of the line, Petroleum and Mining Cabinet Secretary John Munyes said the project would ease fuel transport across the country and the region.

“Because of this new line, Kenya is going to be competitive as a country and the ultimate cost of fuel will come down once the line is fully in operation”, CS Munyes said.

Other than reducing on transportation charges, Mr Munyes further expects the line to reduce on road maintenance cost through the removal of a significant number of petroleum tankers from the Mombasa-Nairobi route.

“With a one-million litres per hour flow rate, the new line will remove about 700 trucks from the road daily at maximum utilisation. This will enhance safety because pipeline transportation of fuel is the safest and most cost effective way of transporting petroleum products the world over,” Mr Munyes said.

The project will see the installation of four pump stations in Changamwe, Maungu, Mtito Andei, and Sultan Hamud and two booster pumps in Kipevu.

The new pipeline is part of KPC’s process of replacing the old Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline that has been in existence for the last 40 years. The old line needed replacement as it could not cater for the growing national and regional demand for fuel.

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