Middle East war boosts traffic through Kenyan port of Lamu

Thousands of high-end cars being shipped from Japan and destined for Dubai have been dropped off on the Kenyan island of Lamu, port authorities said, as the Mideast war provides a boost to African shipping hubs.

Kenyan media showed dozens of gleaming Porsches parked in a warehouse on Lamu, an island paradise and UNESCO World Heritage Site that the government is developing into another major transport hub.

The Porsches were among more than 4,000 vehicles that had to be unloaded since last week from two ships belonging to Italy's Grimaldi Group.

The last ship left Japan's Yokohama on February 24, four days before the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran, leading to a shutdown of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The destination port of Jebel Ali in Dubai was hit by Iranian air strikes on March 1.

Gearing up for a 'spike' in traffic

Lamu is expecting another container ship with 5,000 vehicles next week, according to local port officials.

"There are still ships with cargo that are destined for the Gulf, but since the situation there has deteriorated, those ships are more or less just wandering or drifting at sea," Abdulaziz Mzee, manager of the Port of Lamu, told local media on Wednesday.

"It is not something to celebrate, because people there are suffering and facing difficulties, but at the same time it is a commercial blessing," he added.

The cars will remain at the port until the situation stabilises, Mzee said. Kenya Ports Authority said on X that Lamu was "geared up for a spike" in traffic due to the war.

Lamu's port was first announced in 2012 as part of a $23-billion regional transport corridor linking South Sudan and Ethiopia to the Kenyan coast and began operation around 2021.

Kenya port authorities say it is set to become Africa's leading deep-water transshipment hub.