Opening up northern Kenya, second transport corridor, reduced Mombasa dependency, regional connectivity to South Sudan and Ethiopia
LAPSSET Corridor (Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport)
Mega transport corridor linking Lamu Port to South Sudan and Ethiopia via road, rail, pipeline, and resort cities.
AnnouncedMarch 2, 2012
StartedMarch 2, 2012
Financials
Offering PriceKsh 2,500,000,000,000KES
Timeline
LAPSSET Launch
President Kibaki officially launched the LAPSSET Corridor project at Lamu
Security Concerns and Al-Shabaab Attacks
Al-Shabaab attack on Manda Bay US military base near Lamu Port raised security concerns about the corridor
Lamu Port Berth 1 Completed
First berth of Lamu Port completed and operational, receiving its first ship
Lamu Port Berths 2 & 3 Progress
Construction progressed on berths 2 and 3 of Lamu Port
Scandals & Controversies
Security Concerns and Al-Shabaab Attacks
January 5, 2020Al-Shabaab attack on Manda Bay US military base near Lamu Port raised security concerns about the corridor
Contractors
China Communications Construction Company (CCCC)
Lamu Port Contractor (First 3 Berths)Contracted to build the first three berths of Lamu Port
Politicians Involved
Mwai Kibaki
President of KenyaLaunched LAPSSET on March 2, 2012 at Lamu
Uhuru Kenyatta
President of KenyaContinued LAPSSET development, opened first Lamu Port berth in 2021
Silvester Kasuku
Director General, LAPSSET AuthorityLed LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority
Benefits
Description
LAPSSET is Kenya's most ambitious infrastructure program, envisioned as a comprehensive transport corridor from the new Lamu Port through to South Sudan and Ethiopia. The full project includes: a 32-berth deepwater port at Lamu (Manda Bay), a standard gauge railway from Lamu to Isiolo and branching to Juba and Addis Ababa, a crude oil pipeline, highways, resort cities at Lamu and Isiolo, an international airport at Isiolo, and a free trade zone. Only the first 3 berths of Lamu Port have been completed; most other components remain in various stages of planning or early construction.
Overview
Intended to open up northern Kenya, create a second major transport corridor, reduce dependence on Mombasa Port, and position Kenya as a regional logistics hub.