Local manufacturers of textiles for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) market are up in arms over vessels delay at the port of Mombasa.

Director of Kapric Mr Thomas Puthoor said for the last one month, vessels that were bringing containers to the port had to wait at the high seas for 10 days before they were allowed to berth.

He said as a result of inadequate equipment to discharge container, the ships take three to four days.

Mr Puthoor said this has forced the textile industry to shut down production regularly in the months of August and September.

“The delays will kill the industry that depends on imported fabrics from China and India,” he said.

Mr Puthoor who is the chairman of the Garment Manufacturers Association Mombasa chapter said there is nowhere in the world that discharge of cargo takes so long.

“The operation should take a day. The port management needs to address the issue or else the exporters will continue to suffer,” he said.

A source from within Kenya Ports Authority said the delays cannot be attributed to the port since they have enough equipment to handle vessels.

The delays might be as a result of other factors but not the port,” said the source who declined to be named because he is not authorised to talk to the press.