Kilindini Harbour

Kilindini Harbour Mombasa Port
Port of Mombasa
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Location
Country	Kenya
Location	Mombasa, Mombasa County
Coordinates	4°03′19″S 39°39′07″E / 4.05528°S 39.65194°E / -4.05528; 39.65194
UN/LOCODE	KEKIL[1]
Details
Opened	1896; 128 years ago (1896)
Type of harbour	Natural/Artificial
Draft depth	17.5 m (57 ft)
Statistics
Annual cargo tonnage	14 Million year 2020[2]
Website Kenya Ports Authority

Kilindini Harbour is a large, natural deep-water inlet extending inland from Mombasa, Kenya. It is 25–30 fathoms (46–55 m) at its deepest center, although the controlling depth is the outer channel in the port approaches with a dredged depth of 17.5 m (57 ft).^[3] It serves as the harbour for Mombasa, with a hinterland extending to Uganda. Kilindini Harbour is the main part of the Port of Mombasa, the only international seaport in Kenya and the biggest port in east Africa.^[4] It is managed by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). Apart from cargo handling, Mombasa is frequented by cruise ships.

Kilindini is a Swahili term meaning "deep down" or "in the depths"^[5] in reference to the depth of the channel. Kilindini Harbor is an example of a natural geographic phenomenon called a ria, formed millions of years ago when the sea level rose and engulfed a river that was flowing from the mainland.