The dedicated freight service carried 108 TEUs on its first trip from Mombasa port to the Inland Container Depot in Embakasi.
Kenya Railways launched a dedicated CMA CGM train service on October 28, 2026, linking Mombasa port with Nairobi. The first journey carried 108 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to the Inland Container Depot in Embakasi.
Transport Principal Secretary Mohamed Daghar and France’s Ambassador to Kenya, Wadid Benaabou, oversaw the inaugural trip. Kenya Railways said the service would improve connections between the port and inland cargo destinations.
The launch brings together Kenya Railways, the Kenya Ports Authority and shipping company CMA CGM. Their collaboration covers cargo movement from vessel discharge at the coast through to unloading in Embakasi.
How the CMA CGM train service works
A block train carries cargo for one destination without splitting the load along the route. In this case, the dedicated train transports only CMA CGM containers between the coastal terminal and inland depot.
Such services typically reserve capacity ranging from 50 to more than 100 TEUs per journey. Direct movement also reduces intermediate handling and the time containers spend at the port.
The three partners will coordinate vessel discharge, container sorting and transfer onto rail. They will also manage train schedules and final unloading at the Embakasi depot.
Meanwhile, the new service will support existing Standard Gauge Railway and Metre Gauge Railway Madaraka Freight operations. Those operations handle between nine and 10 blocks daily.
Regional markets in view
Kenya Railways is inviting importers, exporters, shipping lines and cargo owners to explore dedicated rail freight options. The corporation also expects the partnership to benefit markets beyond Nairobi through the wider rail and inland logistics network.
It identified Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as potential beneficiaries. The Embakasi destination therefore forms part of a broader push to connect port cargo with inland markets.
Kenya also joins other markets where CMA CGM operates similar block train services. These include Mexico, India, Thailand, China and Brazil, alongside the Beira–Harare connection in Southern Africa.
