THE Port of Mombasa, the busiest port in East Africa, has received Cosco Container Lines' 2,578-TEU City of Beijing on its maiden call to the port increasing the total of lines operating at the port to 22.

According to Cosco's local agents Rais Shipping Services, the shipping line is also to operate a joint service with Evergreen and X-Press Feeders on an Asia/East Africa shuttle service known as the AES.

Kenya Ports Authority managing director Gichiri Ndua said the addition of Cosco resulted from aggressive marketing supported by a delegation of senior managers visiting shipping lines in China of which included Cosco.

"The increased efficiency experienced in Mombasa in the recent past was due to deliberate strategies instituted by the authority in infrastructure and technology," Mr Ndua added.

The Port of Mombasa, the gateway to landlocked Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, extended and deeper quay and improved cargo handling efficiency make it an attractive proposition to other carriers.