The East African Community Competition Authority has opened a formal inquiry into a proposed ports and logistics deal that could deepen Kenyan-linked influence across East Africa’s cargo corridors.
- •Mauritius-based Globe In Limited has notified the regulator of its plan to acquire a 49.98% stake in African Ports & Corridors Holdings (APCH).
- •While both entities are incorporated in Mauritius, Globe In’s operational backbone is in Kenya and Uganda, where its subsidiaries run dry bulk discharge and handling facilities.
- •The proposed stake in APCH would give Globe In exposure to Tanzania’s logistics chain, particularly services linked to the Port of Dar es Salaam.
In Kenya, Globe In company operates in a market long dominated by the state-controlled Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) at the Port of Mombasa.
APCH’s subsidiaries are active in vessel discharge oversight, tallying, sweeping and bulk storage at Dar es Salaam. A near-50% stake would position Globe In just below majority control, but potentially with significant board and strategic influence.
That Dar es Salaam port competes directly with Mombasa for transit cargo destined for landlocked markets such as Uganda, Rwanda and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mombasa handles the bulk of Uganda’s seaborne trade and remains the anchor of the Northern Corridor, which connects the port to Nairobi and onward via road and the Standard Gauge Railway. However, Dar es Salaam has steadily expanded capacity and efficiency, intensifying rivalry for regional cargo flows.
A Kenyan-linked operator gaining influence in Dar es Salaam could allow Globe In to hedge against volume shifts between the Northern and Central corridors, diversifying revenue streams beyond Mombasa.
The EAC regulator said it will assess whether the transaction is likely to substantially lessen competition within the bloc.
Cross-border consolidation in infrastructure is drawing closer oversight as East African governments push to modernize ports while preserving competitive neutrality. The review comes at a time when maintaining Mombasa’s edge is central to protecting transit revenues and associated logistics jobs.
