Shippers now push for fresh dredging of Lamu channels

Shippers in Lamu are calling for the dredging of two key channels to allow smooth movements of boats and dhows during all seasons.

The shippers, mostly those using heavy vessels, want the 500-metre long Lamu Town to Manda Island and the over one kilometre Mkanda to Kililana channels dredged afresh, to deepen and widen them to accommodate bigger vessels.

Currently, heavy marine vessels cannot navigate through the channels, especially during low tide.

Speaking on Monday, Lamu Boat Operators and Owners Association chairman Hassan Awadh blamed the dredging of Lamu Port (Lapsset) berths in Kililana 1997 for the current shallow status of the two channels.

Mr Awadh said the seafloor within Mkanda and Lamu-Manda channels has been rising in recent years, making it shallower and hence incapable of holding bigger boats and dhows during low tide seasons.

“We suspect the dredge spoil from Lapsset is the one that has been swept to where these channels are located. They continue to fill up the bottom of the ocean. As the floor rises, the channels become shallower and shallower,” said Mr Awadh.

He appealed to the government though the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Lapsset Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and other bodies to undertake dredging of the two channels, majorly to remove the settled Lapsset dredge spoil and deepen them.

Khaldun Vae, an investor in water transport in Lamu, said the shallow state of the two channels is inconveniencing them as heavy boats are forced to wait until the tide is high before embarking on their journeys.

Sometimes shippers are forced to commence journeys very early in the morning or late in the afternoon in order to catch up with the high tide.

Shippers are also being limited in terms of trips to and from their various destinations owing to the status of the two channels.

“Some heavy boats especially those going to Lamu East start their journeys as early as 3am or as late as 3pm. These are the times when the tide is high and heavy boats can navigate through the two channels. We want dredging to be done so that our boats can operate any time of the day,” said Mr Vae.

Abdulswamad Basheikh, said apart from the Lapsset dredging activities impacting negatively on the shippers’ routes in the Indian Ocean, Lamu Old Town has in recent years also witnessed unusual flooding caused by overflow from the Indian Ocean during annual tidal waves.

Every time the floods happen, several houses, shops, the entire seafront area and streets are left submerged for days.

Mr Basheikh said the situation is different compared to previous years when the Lamu port dredging had not been undertaken.

He said in the past, residents used to witness partial flooding within the town during high tide. The flood waters could hardly reach residential and business places.

The current persistent floods, Mr Basheikh noted, is a clear indication the seafloor has risen and cannot accommodate much water, hence the unusual overflow.

“I believe all this is as a result of the Lapsset berths dredging activities that have been taking place at Kililana. It has caused siltation and filling up of the ocean bed by dredge spoil,” said Mr Basheikh.

“That’s why we’re pushing for fresh dredging of the two channels, Mkanda and Lamu-Manda not only to prevent closure and help the shippers navigate through the routes but also to save our town from the annual unusual floods inconveniences.”

Hussein Chonda, an elder in Lamu also supported the move to have the two channels dredged.

In 1997, American Navy dredged the Mkanda Channel and since then, there has been no rehabilitation conducted at the channel.

Mr Chonda said dredging the channel again is the only way that will widen and deepen them “to allow smooth travels all through”.

“The dredging works will improve the existing water features in those channels. The Mkanda channel is narrow. We want it reshaped to improve navigability of boats and dhows of all sizes,” said Mr Chonda.

At least 99 percent of movement and transport by residents across the Lamu Archipelago is done at sea.

Lamu has over 5000 boat operators spread across the various islands in the archipelago.