Kenya's SGR sees freight growth amid China's zero-tariff policy
Effective May 1, China has implemented a zero-tariff policy on products from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
Effective May 1, China has implemented a zero-tariff policy on products from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
According to the Africa Star Railway Operation Company, Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) operated a total of 3,931 freight trains in the first half of 2026, transporting 4.278 million tonnes of cargo, with average daily cargo volume up 12.3 percent year on year. Container shipments from Nairobi to Mombasa rose sharply in May and June following the implementation of the zero-tariff policy, increasing by about 44 percent compared with the average monthly volume recorded earlier this year.