Kenya is preparing to turn its oil discoveries into national wealth, with the Port of Mombasa emerging as a key gateway for crude oil exports.

Parliamentarians visited the port to assess readiness for handling petroleum cargo and to engage in public participation on proposed oil development plans.

In a statement shared by Kenya Ports Authority on X on Friday, January 23, 2026, a joint team from the National Assembly and the Senate toured key petroleum handling facilities at the port as part of ongoing public consultations on the Field Development Plan (FDP) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for Blocks T6 and T7 in the South Lokichar Basin.

The lawmakers held discussions with senior officials from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL), and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to evaluate infrastructure and operational readiness along the coastal segment of the crude oil evacuation and export chain.

Kenya Ports Authority highlighted its capacity to manage crude oil and related cargo, noting the operational readiness of the Kipevu Oil Terminal at the port.

KPA Harbour Master and General Manager for Marine Operations Captain Patrick Onyango, speaking on behalf of Managing Director Captain William Ruto, said:

“The authority has adequate operational capacity to handle oil and related cargo at the port,” the statement reads.

The ultra-modern Kipevu Oil Terminal has four berths spanning a combined length of 770 metres, including a workboat wharf at the Westmont area. Currently, three berths are operational, with the fourth reserved for future expansion.

The parliamentary teams also toured KPRL, KPC storage tanks, and the Beach Valve Station within the port area to evaluate safety and efficiency measures.

The coastal visit forms part of a wider national public participation exercise that also covers Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Mombasa, and Lamu counties, ahead of parliamentary consideration of the oil development framework.

KPA has said the projects will unlock Kenya’s oil potential, stimulate industrial growth, and create employment opportunities across the economy, positioning the country to leverage its petroleum resources for long-term national benefit.