IN SUMMARY
- This is the first ship to be made in Kenya by Kenyans.
- The vessel has currently undergone sea trials in Lake Victoria
- The 100-meter vessel has a capacity of carrying up to 22 wagons
President William Ruto today, officiated the commissioning and maiden launch of MV Uhuru II at the Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL) in Kisumu.
Ruto praised his predecessor saying He exhibited immense foresight by introducing a refurbishment of the shipyard as well as the construction of a new vessel.
“I must congratulate my predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta for his foresight in coming up with this shipyard refurbishment,” Ruto said.
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The vessel was built by the Kenya Defence Forces in partnership with Dutch firm Damen Shipyards and is the first ship to be constructed locally.
MV Uhuru II was commissioned in August 2022 to complement the old MV Uhuru I built in 1966. President Kenyatta at the time visited the Kisumu Port to oversee the floatation of the newly refurbished ship while also commissioning the shipyard.
Equipments’s functionality
It has currently undergone sea trials in Lake Victoria to ensure that every part works as expected.
The 100-meter vessel which has a capacity of carrying up to 22 wagons and an estimated capacity of 2 million litres of crude oil per trip is the first ship to be made in Kenya by Kenyans.
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MV Uhuru II Design
The ship’s hull is designed to be strong and durable, capable of withstanding the stresses and strains of heavy cargo and rough waters.
In addition to its hull structure, the MV Uhuru II is also equipped with an advanced piping system.
The piping systems are used to transport oil from the ship’s cargo tanks to its engines, where it is used to power the ship’s propulsion system.