Agency in the dark on terminal takeoverA State shipping agency is in the dark over ongoing negotiations between the Government and an Italian firm to take over operations of the country’s second container terminal, a National Assembly committee was told on Friday. Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL) boss Joseph Juma informed the committee that the agency — partly owned by the Italian firm, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) — was only involved “at the technical level” as the Government signed an MoU with the Italians. The Italian firm owns 20 per cent of the ailing KNSL and the proposed takeover would effectively give it sway in the terminal’s operations. “The negotiations are between the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), which is the Government side, and MSC given the partnership that they have. The Government is pushing the takeover on grounds that it will revive the debt-ridden KNSL and create jobs.

Source: Standard Digital April 14, 2019 21:45 UTC