Corridor desk
Ethiopia is the largest economy in the Horn of Africa and has no port of its own. Its wheat, fertilizer, fuel, containers and food aid come in through Djibouti and, increasingly, Berbera; its coffee, oilseeds and livestock go out the same way. The importers, exporters, shipping line and forwarders who move this cargo sit in Addis Ababa, a day's travel from the quay, and they need an agent at the port who reports to them as if they were standing on it.
Maingate Shipping coordinates port agency for Ethiopian cargo at Djibouti and Berbera through its Africa agency line, with the vessel's call, the corridor documentation and the reporting to Addis Ababa handled as one file.
Djibouti carries most of Ethiopia's trade by rail and road and has the container, bulk, oil and livestock terminals to match. Berbera's new terminal and the road to Wajaale offer a second route for containers and general cargo. The desk advises which port suits a cargo and its receiver and coordinates the call at either.
Berth and pilot booking, pre-arrival documentation, discharge supervision with the terminal and the receiver's forwarder, statement of facts to a laytime standard, and crew, bunkers and stores for the vessel while she is alongside. Food aid cargoes are reported to the agency's standard.
Transit documents for Ethiopia, delivery orders, the terminal's release and the rail or truck evacuation are coordinated with the forwarder so that cargo leaves the port as it lands. Importers and exporters in Addis Ababa receive daily reports and the final account in the same format as the vessel's owner.
Maingate Shipping Limited, Mombasa: ship agents at Kenyan ports since 2020, crew managers and recruiters of Kenyan seafarers, ship brokers for the East African trades, and the coordinating desk for port calls across Africa. The office at Express Building on Moi Avenue is a short drive from Kilindini Harbour and Moi International Airport, which is why crew, spares and cash reach vessels at Mombasa without a wasted hour.
The company works for owners, charterers, managers, traders, lines, clubs and fleets, and puts its terms, its DAs and its reports in writing.
Yes. Importers, exporters and their forwarders appoint the desk for the port call and the corridor coordination, and receive the same reporting as a shipowner.
Yes. Export loading at Djibouti is coordinated with the shipper's forwarder, the terminal and the vessel's agent under one file.
Berbera is handled by the same desk through our partner at the port, with the road corridor to the Ethiopian border coordinated with the forwarder.
One instruction, one account, one contact for the master and one for the principal.
Related desks on the same instruction line.
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Maingate Shipping Limited · Express Building, Moi Avenue, Mombasa, Kenya · ops@maingateshipping.com · +254 784 622 091