Trapos Limited and the Kenya Ferry Service (KFS) have signed a contract that will see the Likoni Cable Car project implemented. The contract will see the consortium, Trapos Limited and Australian company Doppelmayr Garaventa Group, “design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the Cable Car Facilities over the Likoni Channel on a Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) model.”
The consortium will run the project for 25 years after which the operations and revenue of the Likoni Cable Car express will shift to KFS.
The signing of the contract now means that Doppelmayr Garaventa Group can finalise the financial arrangement in order to facilitate the implementation of the project.
“Through the novel PPP model, we not only attract private capital to the development operation and maintenance of our infrastructure, we are also able to tap into private sector efficiency and innovations, resulting in better value for money in our projects and ultimately improved service delivery to our citizens,” the acting PPP unit director Judith Nyakawa said.
The Likoni Cable Car Project
The Likoni Cable Car project is expected to serve 187,000 passengers per day and 5,500 passengers per direction for every hour.
KFS managing director Bakari Gowa said during the contract signing:
“Currently, 350,000 commuters cross the Likoni Channel daily. This puts a strain on the vessels we already have. With the growing population, we are happy to increase the alternatives and capacity of transporting our people across the channel in a safe, efficient, reliable and secure manner.”
The cable car, which connects South Coast mainland to the Mombasa Island, will increase efficiency, reliability, safety, and boost tourism. The cable express will act as an alternative to the ferry crossing along the channel.
“What we are offering is a modern and efficient aerial cable connection between the Island and the mainland with spectacular views on that short journey. We are bringing in superior technology in running cable cars and so Kenyans can look forward to quite an experience in the cable cars,” said Gerald Muigai, the Executive Chairman of the Likoni Cable Express Ltd and the Trapos Ltd Director.
Pre-engineering works for the project began in July and this involved survey of land where the landing stations and masts will be built on the two borders of the Likoni Channel. The landing station will be built over the road and all cable cars will come under the landing station.
