Addis Ababa - Thousands of modern vehicles that were being transported from Japan to Dubai have been offloaded at Kenya’s Lamu Island, according to port authorities.
Kenyan media report that the vehicles were redirected and unloaded at Lamu Port, a site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage area and currently being developed into a major regional transport hub. Among the shipments are dozens of high-end Porsche cars, which have been seen stored in port warehouses.
The vehicles form part of more than 4,000 units unloaded from two cargo ships since last week, officials confirmed.
The diversion comes amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global shipping route. Ongoing hostilities have forced shipping companies to alter routes or halt voyages entirely.
In addition, the vehicles were originally destined for Jebel Ali Port, which has reportedly been struck by air raids attributed to Iran, further complicating logistics in the region.
Port officials in Lamu stated that the vehicles will remain at the facility until the security situation stabilizes. Another cargo vessel carrying approximately 5,000 additional vehicles is expected to arrive at the port in the coming week.
The Kenya Ports Authority has indicated that Lamu Port is “fully prepared” to handle increased shipping traffic resulting from the crisis.
Lamu Port is part of a $23 billion regional transport corridor project linking Kenya’s coastline with South Sudan and Ethiopia, and has been operational since around 2021.
