Trapos Limited and Kenya Ferry Service (KFS) expects to achieve soon commercial closure for the Mombasa island cable car public private partnership (PPP) project.

The project involves the development of a 1,300 m cable car that will link Mombasa island and the mainland. It will have a total of 28 cabins. The new facilities will have capacity to move 11,000 commuters per hour.

Trapos Limited submitted an unsolicited proposal for the project in 2013 and expects to sign soon a 30 year concession agreement. The firm has selected Doppelmayr as a technology provider. Construction works will start by September this year and the new facilities are expected to be operational by December 2016.

The total project investment is estimated at US$41 million. Trapos has selected CFC Stanbic Bank to arrange for project funding.

KFS Managing Director Musa Hassan Musa stated:

"Tourists to and from the South Coast will no longer be delayed. The infrastructure is also a tourist attraction in itself and offers panoramic views of Mombasa from 100 metres. When the project is commissioned, travel time between the island and the mainland, which takes about ten minutes (via ferry), will take less than three minutes, a massive improvement for commuters."