Inland Port of Jinja

The Jinja port is approximately 80 km East Northeast of Kampala although it is not fully operational, the port has potential for road and railroad merchandise from Tanzania (Mwanza) and Kenya (Kisumu).

• However, the road and railroad connections in Jinja Port has not been properly utilized for the past 8 years.
• Currently, the Port is only used occasionally by 2 research vessels based there to monitor fish stocks in part of Lake Victoria.
• The port comprises of a singletrack railway connected to Mombasa and Nairobi through Kampala, a RoRo berth adapted for road and rail traffic, and a quay with approximately 10 metres in width.

Other Maritime Infrastructures

• In close proximity to Jinja Port (9 km East) is Jinja Masese Industrial Area and the Bidco Oil Uganda processing plant which owns and operates its own jetty.
• In the same Masese area relatively close is also the Veron shipyard where a 350 tonne RoRo ferry has just been built for UNRA by JGH Marine, a Danish company.

There are 2 major landing sites in Jinja for the fisheries sector:

• Masese landing site and FDC Waterman both selling unprocessed fresh fish to the local and regional market, as well as to several fillet processing plants.
• As part of the Feasibility Plan for the Bukasa Port and for Lake Victoria Transportation this port is projected to be developed into a Fisheries Terminal, Shipyard, and a Marine Training School.[1]

Table 2.1.1. Uganda: Port location and contact Jinja Pier

Port Picture:

Port Performance:

The state of the facilities in Jinja Pier is very run down, and significant renovation would be required to put into an operational state.

• The road access is almost unusable for anything other than 4x4 passenger vehicles.
• The railway that joins this facility to the main line is four Kilometres long.
• The railway station in Jinja is currently active with a train travelling either to or from Kampala to Mombasa every day.
• Rail transport transit times vary from seven to twelve days (compared to four days on road transport).
• Jinja port is in a very dilapidated condition with most of the rail wagon link span deteriorated and fendering systems completely decayed.
• The general cargo berth (quay wall and bollards) is damaged, and the quay pavement is in poor condition.

Berthing Specifications:

General Cargo Handling Berths:

Port Handling Equipment:

Container Facilities:

Port Security:

General Observations:

• The rail track connecting the Port to the URC Jinja main railway station is largely vandalized.
• Port rail tracks to the link-span and shunting yard are dilapidated. Link-span winches are not working.
• The rail jetty fenders need replacement and gangway requires refurbishment.
• The oil jetty for bunkering is not operational at present.
• Road pavement within the port and access roads to the port are badly dilapidated

[1] Ibid.

Inland Port of Port Bell

Port Bell is an active port situated in the Southeast Nakawa Division of Kampala on Lake Victoria; Capacities include:

• A railroad terminal handling rail and road traffic in addition to passenger traffic
• A floating dry dock of 500 MT capacity.
• A concrete quay approximately (115m x 30 m)
• Warehousing, and administrative buildings have recently been renovated, customs facilities, security and a substantial workshop are in operation.
• Two RoRo vessels operate to Mwanza with a total capacity of 80 wagons per week.
• The port receives merchandise and humanitarian supplies from DRC having transited through Tanzania and handles some limited, intermittent exports of consumer goods and construction materials through to northern Tanzania.[1]

Table 2.1.2. Uganda: Port location and contact Port Bell

Port Picture:

Port Performance:

Berthing Specifications:

General Cargo Handling Berths:

Port Handling Equipment:

Container Facilities:

Port Security:

[1] Ibid.

Inland Port of Bukasa

Bukasa Port was initiated almost a decade ago but went into limbo till around 2014 when German consultants (Gauff Engineering) negotiated to complete a feasibility study, finance, design and manage the project for its realization.

• Currently, the 8 km access road to the site is under construction and the projected cargo will feed the port via rail connections to and from the offshore ports at Kisumu and Mwanza to the Indian Ocean ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.
• Hinterland freight opportunities also exist through to the Eastern Democratic Republic of The Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi.
• The project master plan envisaged that the port would be able to handle 2.4 MM T of freight rising to above 11.5 MM T by the end of phase 3 over a 20- year period.
• The current timeline has moved forward to 2022/23 for completion of phase 2 at the earliest.
• For this project to achieve its objectives it is dependent on internal infrastructure developments in the hinterland of the port within Uganda but also in Kenya and Tanzania.
• The ports in Mwanza will need considerable upgrading to handle the freight forecasts, not only within the ports themselves but the rail access feeding them as well.
• A new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) projects are under way in both Kenya and Tanzania, both may connect to Lake Victoria within 3 – 4 years.
• Hinterland connectivity of the port to the road and upgrade of existing metre gauge rail links into the Ugandan transportation system are also required to evacuate the port merchandise from the port for onward internal distribution. 

Table 2.1.3. Uganda: Port location and contact Port Bukasa

Port Picture:

N/A

Port Performance:

Berthing Specifications:

General Cargo Handling Berths:

Port Handling Equipment:

Container Facilities:

Port Security: