Kenya is the largest economy in East Africa. It is heavily dependent on agriculture, with vegetable products forming nearly 49% of its $5.25 billion worth of exports. Of the $2.56 billion vegetable products it exports, over a quarter are tea and coffee.
The country has been enjoying sustained economic growth over the past decade, with a 6% growth expected in 2017. Ocean freight transportation to Kenya is a popular way to trade with the Eastern African country. It imported around $17.6 billion worth of goods in 2015. Of these, over a third came from China. This is followed by India, Japan, Tanzania, and South Africa.
When dealing with ocean freight transportation to Kenya, you have to think about whether you will be shipping a Full Container Load (FCL) or a Less than a Container Load (LCL). The two most common container types used for ocean freight transportation to Kenya are the 20-foot container and the 40-foot containers. The general guideline is to opt for an FCL if your cargo will be taking up more than half of the container space, be it 20-foot or 40-foot. This grants you greater control over your cargo and lowers the risk of damages and contamination.
On the other hand, if you don’t have that much cargo, the better option would be an LCL. You will have to share the container space with other shippers, but if you’re not shipping sensitive material, this is a more cost-effective option. You can decide by using pallets. A 20-foot container carries 10 standard American pallets which measures 47.24 inches by 39.37 inches. A 40-foot container can hold up to 21 standard American pallets.
To find out more about shipping containers to Kenya, visit our iContainers page.
iContainers provides the most affordable and efficient ocean freight services to Kenya from many ports all over the world. These include ports located in: