Kenya’s ambition to turn Lamu into a major regional maritime gateway faces a critical test, with shipping agents warning that the port’s ability to attract global shipping lines will depend on how quickly the government completes the roads, railways, cargo-handling equipment, and support services surrounding the facility.

The warning comes as pressure mounts on the government to move beyond building the port itself and accelerate development of the wider infrastructure needed to make Lamu commercially competitive.

The Kenya Ships Agents Association (KSAA), whose members represent ship owners and charterers calling at Kenyan ports, says Lamu already has some of the physical characteristics required to compete for larger vessels and regional cargo, but lacks several complementary facilities needed to convert that potential into sustained commercial traffic.

During a commercial tour of Lamu Port in July this year, KSAA chief executive Elijah Mbaru said the facility had the potential to become a world-class maritime hub, but shipping lines would require reliable supporting infrastructure before committing significant cargo volumes and regular services.

“There is a need to have more equipment at the quay and container yard, while documentation processes should be fully integrated and synchronized with Mombasa and other ports,” Mbaru said.

He said completion of road and railway connections linking Lamu with Kenya’s hinterland and neighbouring countries would be critical in allowing shipping agents to offer through bills of lading, a service that would make the port more attractive to international cargo owners.

The association is also calling for investment in warehouses, residential facilities, security systems and navigational aids, arguing that a modern port cannot operate in isolation from the logistics and support ecosystem around it.

“There is also a need to develop auxiliary services such as warehouses and residential areas to support cargo storage and accommodate port workers and shipping agents. Security systems and navigational aids should also be strengthened,” Mbaru said.

The intervention comes at a crucial stage in Lamu’s development. The government has invested about Sh40 billion in the first three berths of the planned 23-berth deep-sea port, making Lamu one of Kenya’s largest maritime infrastructure investments.

But shipping agents say the next phase of investment will determine whether that infrastructure becomes a commercially successful regional gateway or remains an underutilized strategic asset.

Lamu has several characteristics that give it an advantage over the Port of Mombasa. Its berths are about 400 metres long, compared with an average of about 300 metres at Mombasa, while the port’s natural depth of about 17.5 metres allows it to handle larger vessels, including Post-Panamax ships carrying up to 12,000 TEUs.

Its location close to the open sea also gives Lamu potential to develop as a transshipment hub serving East Africa, the Middle East and other markets. But these advantages alone are not enough to persuade shipping lines to alter established routes.

“Ship owners and ship agents will always automatically follow ports with enough modern equipment and strategic geographical locations. You don't need to market such ports,” Mbaru said.

For shipping lines, the attractiveness of a port is determined not only by how efficiently a vessel can berth and discharge cargo, but also by how quickly and cheaply that cargo can reach its final destination.

This places the wider Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor at the centre of the port’s future. The corridor is designed to connect Lamu with northern Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan through roads, railways, pipelines, airports, logistics hubs and other infrastructure.

Industrial and energy investments could eventually provide the cargo base needed to support Lamu port. Proposed investments in oil, agro-processing and other industries within the Lamu special economic zone could create additional demand for maritime services, while the wider LAPSSET corridor could generate transit cargo.

The proposed Dangote refinery, for example, could become a major industrial anchor if financing, crude supply and associated infrastructure challenges are resolved.

The proposed palm oil and agro-processing investments could similarly create new cargo flows through the port. This is the economic model Kenya is increasingly pursuing at the Coast of ports linked directly to manufacturing, energy, processing, warehousing and regional distribution.

The challenge now is to ensure that investment in the port is matched by investment outside its gates.

For shipping lines, the question is not simply whether Lamu can accommodate large vessels. It is whether cargo can be discharged quickly, cleared digitally, stored safely and moved efficiently to Kenya's hinterland and neighbouring countries.