Kenya Ports Authority has rolled out an upgraded vehicle cargo tracking system at Mombasa, promising faster clearance times and improved transparency for vehicle importers.
The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has officially launched an upgraded Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) for vehicle consignments at the Port of Mombasa, as of March 2026. The system promises to significantly reduce the administrative burden on importers and streamline the vehicle clearance process from vessel arrival to collection.
Key Features of the New System
- Real-time vessel tracking: Importers can track the exact position and estimated arrival time of vessels carrying their vehicles.
- Digital pre-arrival documentation: All customs documents including Bill of Lading, Packing List and Invoice can be uploaded and pre-verified before the vessel arrives, reducing port dwell time.
- Automated duty calculation: The system integrates with KRA's customs platform (iCMS) to provide near-instant duty assessments upon upload of vehicle details.
- SMS/email alerts: Importers receive automated notifications at each milestone — vessel arrival, offloading completion, customs release and collection readiness.
Expected Impact on Clearance Times
KPA has projected that average vehicle clearance time will reduce from the current average of 7–10 days to 4–5 days for importers using the pre-arrival documentation facility. Full automation of the duty assessment process is expected to be the single biggest time-saving factor.
How Asawa Japan Is Adapting
Asawa Japan has already integrated with the KPA tracking portal and will automatically share tracking links with clients whose vehicles are shipped to Mombasa. All Kenya-bound shipment documentation packages will now include pre-formatted iCMS-ready documents to take full advantage of the pre-arrival clearance window.
