LAMU, Kenya – Over 1,400 people have reportedly been killed in Iran during the fourth week of the war that the US and Israel started.
As millions of Iranians celebrated Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz in the shadow of war, Iran retaliated by attacking US bases and Israel, threatening Western nations and Gulf states, and warning that global shipping and energy infrastructure may be at risk.
Amid these escalating conflicts, thousands of expensive cars are stuck in warehouses on the Kenyan coast at the Port of Lamu, unable to be transported to Dubai, demonstrating the war’s implications back home.
This comes after an Iranian strike on March 1, 2026, that struck the destination port of Jebel Ali. Global markets have already been pressured by the closing of the Strait of Hormuz during heightened tensions with Iran, forcing reliance on alternate routes like the Red Sea, which itself faces security risks from Houthi attacks.
General Manager of the Port of Lamu, Capt. Abdulaziz Mzee, announced that the high-end vehicles will stay at the Port of Lamu until the situation in the Middle East settles down.
“Thereafter, we expect the Grimaldi company to bring either their own vessel or charter another ship to come and collect this cargo and take it to its destination,” Capt. Abdulaziz told journalists at the port.
What does the arrival of more container ships at the Port of Lamu mean?
news9.africa has established that cars continue to arrive at the Port of Lamu despite the obstruction, and a container ship carrying 5,000 vehicles is scheduled to arrive next week.
“This is not something to celebrate because people are suffering and facing difficulties. But at the same time, it’s a commercial blessing. We also expect other ships to come to this port of Lamu as well,” Capt. Abdulaziz added.
The Port of Lamu is geared for an increase in vessel calls in the coming days, according to Capt. William Ruto, managing director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). This development is anticipated to boost regional trade and solidify the port’s standing as a major transhipment hub in the area.
At a press conference at the Port of Lamu, Capt. Ruto stated that preliminary data already suggests that the amount of goods passing through the port is increasing. Major shipping lines have started to express confidence in the expanding capacity of the second commercial port, he continued.
According to the MD, vessel traffic is steadily increasing, with car transporters selecting Lamu as their preferred destination.
“The port expects another car carrier to discharge 5,000 motor vehicle units next week, a strong signal of strengthened commercial activities and growing confidence among shippers,” said Capt. Ruto.
Capt. Ruto, who oversaw the MV Grande Florida Palermo’s first visit to the Port of Lamu, reiterated the port’s growing prominence and appeal to international shipping companies.
How many container ships have docked at the Port of Lamu in 2026?
news9.africa knows that laden with 3,800 motor vehicle units and many spare parts, the ship, operated by Grimaldi Lines, anchored at the port following the Middle East crisis.
A week after her sister ship, the MV Grande Auckland, discharged 469 motorcar units, this is the second car carrier to dock at the port. From January to now, the port has reported 74 vessels this year.
“In terms of performance, the port posted an impressive total cargo throughput of 799,161 metric tonnes in 2025 compared to 74,380 metric tonnes, which was recorded in 2024, mainly driven by containerised cargo,” explained Capt. Ruto.
The Port of Lamu achieved a significant milestone on March 11, 2026, after the 9000-capacity Pure Car Carrier (PCC) MV Grande Auckland made its first call.
Midway through the morning, 469 brand-new cars made in Europe during the previous two years began to roll off the ship.
The largest and busiest port in the Middle East, the Port of Jebel Ali, was originally supposed to be the destination of the cars headed into the region.
Nisomar Shipping Agency Ltd. selects the Port of Lamu
After receiving the ship, Captain Abdulaziz gave the master, Captain Uros Golsuf, a certificate of first call.
Capt. Abdulaziz praised Nisomar Shipping Agency Ltd. for selecting the Port of Lamu as the most cost-effective and secure transhipment port in the Indian Ocean for goods headed for the Middle East.
He said that calling the Port of Lamu on the way from Europe to Mumbai was a very satisfying option that demonstrated his faith in the port’s effectiveness.
Previously, the manager of business development and chartering for Nisomar Shipping Agency in Africa. Munir Minas reiterated that the Port of Lamu has demonstrated its operational excellence thus far.
In comparison to Madagascar, from Europe, he pointed out that the Port of Lamu was the closest to the Middle East and had the highest security considerations for the new cars.
Inside the Port of Lamu, located on the Kenyan coast
Designed to rival major regional ports like Tanger Med (Morocco), Port Said (Egypt), Djibouti, and Lomé (Togo), the Port of Lamu is a state-of-the-art maritime infrastructure.
It is a major participant in East African trade and logistics because of its advantageous location and cutting-edge facilities, especially in the larger framework of the Lamu-Galole growth corridor.
More shipping lines are anticipated to start offering regular service to Lamu since Iran’s military has threatened to deliver “crushing blows” to facilities such as the port city of Ras al-Khaimah if “further aggression” is launched from UAE territory against the disputed Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater Tunb.
This is an assurance that the Port of Lamu will handle more cargo in the years to come.
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