The Mombasa Port Community Charter is being launched in East Africa aimed at enhancing infrastructural development and improving the efficiency in clearing cargo.

The Charter brings together 24 agencies to both coordinate and improve efficiencies at the port.

Once this Charter is implemented it is envisaged that it will lead to doubling trade in the region to Sh2.9 trillion by 2016.

It is also expected to enhance the flow of transport along the Northern Corridor from the port through to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

The commissioning of Berth 19 at the port is set to increase the container handling facility. The development of the new berth which commenced in July 2011 has seen the total quay length of the Mombasa Container Terminal grow to 840 metres.

Construction is also underway for a second container terminal at the port which will have a capacity of handling 1.2 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually.

The Mombasa port connects the Northern Corridor markets including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Southern Sudan and Eastern DRC.