The Port of Lamu has received 2,930 metric tonnes of heavy machinery for the planned Dangote East Africa Refinery, days before the project is expected to break ground.

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The machinery was delivered by MV Da Yang and is expected to be used in the construction of the Ksh2.2 trillion (USD17 billion) refinery and petrochemical complex planned for Lamu.

The arrival of the vessel comes ahead of the planned groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for next week, marking one of the first major deliveries linked to the construction of the facility.

The refinery is expected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, with plans to source crude from Kenya’s Lokichar oilfields in Turkana as well as other parts of East and Southern Africa.

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The Port of Lamu is expected to play a key role in the project by supporting marine operations and handling vessels involved in the movement of petroleum and other cargo linked to the development.

Kenya Ports Authority Chief Executive Officer Captain William Ruto received the vessel and presented its master, Captain Wang Shengli, with a certificate of first call and a plaque.

“The arrival of this vessel is very critical and shows the Government’s commitment to ensuring this project succeeds. It will be a game changer for the entire region,” Captain Ruto said.

This comes after the refinery project has also secured an engineering and project management partner, with an Indian state-owned engineering firm receiving a contract worth more than Ksh58 billion from Dangote Group.

The firm, which operates under India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, will serve as Project Management Consultant and Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management consultant for the refinery and petrochemical complex.

Its work will include overseeing project planning, engineering, procurement and construction management, while coordinating contractors and monitoring costs, timelines, quality and safety.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke