Kenya now has a second deep-sea gateway, and Lamu is it. The picture splits in two: the historic dhow harbour of Lamu Old Town is shallow (around 4.9 m) and serves coastal dhows, fishing and passenger traffic, while the new LAPSSET port a few kilometres away in Manda Bay is a purpose-built container facility. Its first three berths, each with a 400-metre quay, are operational and can work Panamax and Post-Panamax vessels above 10,000 TEU, with more than 120 ship calls recorded since the start of 2026. Fully commissioned in February 2026, the port is designed to reach 23 berths and roughly 1.2 million TEU of annual capacity at completion. As the anchor project of the LAPSSET corridor, Lamu is intended to relieve congested Mombasa and open up northern Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan via a planned road, rail and pipeline axis toward Isiolo. That hinterland is becoming multimodal but is still under construction on the rail and road side. Customs and import clearance run through the Kenya Ports Authority and the Kenya Revenue Authority; for established container, reefer and breakbulk services, Mombasa remains the better-connected node for now. Forwarders should confirm actual liner services and onward transport before booking, as Lamu's service network is still maturing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE of Lamu?▼
The UN/LOCODE of Lamu is KE LAU. This international code identifies ports and logistics locations worldwide.
Where is the port of Lamu located?▼
The port of Lamu is located in Kenya (Indian Ocean).
The information on this page is based on publicly available transport and infrastructure data. The logistics significance of a location may change. All information without warranty.