Lamu Port sets record in East and Central Africa as largest vessel docks
The massive vessel spans nearly the length of three football pitches, with an additional 69 meters to spare.
In a major milestone for regional maritime trade, the Port of Lamu on Sunday May 10, received the largest vessel ever to dock at any port in East and Central Africa.
The MV Baltimore Express, measuring 369 meters in overall length, arrived from Oman’s Salalah Port, marking a historic achievement for the Kenyan port.
The massive vessel spans nearly the length of three football pitches, with an additional 69 meters to spare. Thanks to the Port of Lamu’s 400-meter quay length per berth, the ship docked smoothly and without incident.
The vessel is operated by German shipping line Hapag-Lloyd.
This latest call follows an earlier record set by another Hapag-Lloyd vessel, the MV Nagoya Express, a 335-meter container ship that docked at the Port of Lamu in August 2025.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) General Manager for the Port of Lamu, Capt. Abdulaziz Mzee, welcomed the vessel, noting the port’s proven capability to handle ultra-large ships. “This call lifts Lamu’s profile on the global maritime map, and compares to some of the world’s most developed ports like Singapore, Rotterdam and Hamburg,” he said.
Lamu Port General Manager Capt. Abdulaziz Mzee welcomes the captain of MV Baltimore
Unlike other regional ports, the Port of Lamu boasts of deep natural harbor of 17.5 meters. This depth allows mega ships to sail into the channel smoothly.
This natural advantage enables Lamu to rival the world’s most modern ports, positioning it not only as a transshipment gateway but also as a strategic hub capable of handling very high cargo volumes.
The port of Lamu has so far handled over 120 vessels since the start of the year with more expected to call in the coming days.
To complement this growth KPA is investing in modern equipment with the port expected to receive new cranes, terminal tractors and other cargo handling equipment in the course of the year.
In another achievement, the Port last week processed the first-ever transit container shipment destined for Burundi.
The cargo, which arrived aboard the MV Jolly Oro, was originally scheduled for transshipment via the Port of Dar-es-Salaam. However, following a change in the mode of transport, the consignment was cleared and moved by road directly to Burundi.
In addition, the US-Israel-Iran conflict has unexpectedly boosted the Port of Lamu with thousands of luxury cars and shipping containers destined for the Middle East being diverted to its shores. The shipping disruptions in the Gulf and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, has transformed Lamu from a quiet, underutilized facility into a vital temporary transit hub.