SGR Cargo train that carried 104 containers (photo / business daily)
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has approved a request for a promotional tariff to enable cargo transporters through the SGR experience the a 3 month flat rate freight changes on the revolutionary service launched by President on his new year speech.
Kenya Railways will charge a flat rate of a flat rate of Sh 64, 500 for a 20-foot container and Sh 84,300 for a 40-foot container irrespective of cargo carried or weight.
Initially, there were many hidden charges on top of the the 20 & 40 foot containers charge.
The 20 ft container was being charged at ksh 50,000 and the 50 ft container at ksh 70,000 between the two towns.
The inaugural train carried 104 containers to the Embakasi depot which was expanded to capacity of 180,000 teus (twenty-foot equivalent unit) to 450,000 teus at a cost of Sh21 billion.
The train has been suffering from a volume shortfall since it made it maiden trip causing the train to be delayed twice.The train was scheduled to arrive to Nairobi last week on Thursday but it was delayed to Sunday.
“The second cargo train which was expected to arrive in Nairobi today from Mombasa will arrive tomorrow because it is not full,” Kenya Railways Managing director Atanas Maina said last week.