The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has partnered with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to launch a port management training programme aimed at strengthening professional skills and leadership capacity within Kenya’s maritime and logistics sectors.
The programme, dubbed TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Programme, will expose port employees and members of the wider port community to modern port management practices, international trade and transport, commercial management, financial management, environmental sustainability and performance measurement.
Speaking during the launch, KPA Chief Executive Officer Captain William K. Ruto said the maritime industry was undergoing rapid changes that required continuous investment in professional development and institutional capacity.
“The maritime industry continues to evolve rapidly, with port managers operating within an environment characterised by increasing operational complexity, changing trade patterns, supply chain disruptions and technological advancement,” Ruto said.
He added that ports needed to strengthen their workforce skills and leadership capacity to remain effective and competitive in an increasingly demanding global trade environment.
“This is the context within which, as the Kenya Ports Authority, we are glad to embrace the ‘TrainForTrade’ Modern Port Management Programme,” he said.
The initiative is expected to equip participants with practical knowledge and skills to improve port operations, management practices and service delivery as Kenya seeks to strengthen its position in international trade and transport.
Mr Pius Muchai, who represented Trade Principal Secretary Mohamed Daghar, said the government attached importance to capacity-building initiatives that strengthen institutional effectiveness and leadership within the transport sector.
Muchai described the programme as a milestone in developing the human capital needed to support a modern, efficient and globally competitive transport and logistics industry.
The training comes at a time when maritime transport continues to play a central role in international commerce, with ports required to respond to evolving shipping patterns, technological changes and disruptions affecting global supply chains.
UNCTAD Chief of TrainForTrade Mark Assaf congratulated KPA on joining the programme, saying it would enable the Authority’s employees to develop new skills as the shipping and maritime industries continue to evolve.
The programme will cover 18 modules on port operations and management, with 20 KPA employees drawn from various divisions currently undergoing training.
Upon completion, the officers will be eligible to become trainers, enabling them to facilitate similar programmes in other countries where the UNCTAD initiative operates.
The training is expected to strengthen knowledge-sharing within the maritime sector while creating opportunities for Kenyan port professionals to contribute to capacity-building efforts beyond the country.
Through the partnership, KPA and UNCTAD seek to promote continuous professional development and improve the expertise required to manage increasingly complex port operations in an interconnected global trading environment.
