LAMU, Kenya: Fancy a shiny new Porsche? You could do a lot worse than book a ticket to the paradise island of Lamu off the coast of Kenya in west Africa.
Thousands of high-end cars being shipped from Japan to the UAE have been dropped off on the island because of shipping disruption caused by the Middle East war.
Dozens of gleaming Porsches are now parked in a warehouse on Lamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They were among more than 4,000 vehicles unloaded from two ships that could not reach Jebel Ali port in Dubai because of Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Lamu is expecting another container ship with 5,000 vehicles next week
“There are still ships with cargo that are destined for the Gulf, but since the situation there has deteriorated, those ships are more or less just wandering or drifting at sea,” said Lamu port manager Abdulaziz Mzee.
“It is not something to celebrate, because people there are suffering and facing difficulties, but at the same time, it is a commercial blessing.”
Lamu’s port was planned in 2012 as part of a $23 billion regional transport corridor linking South Sudan and Ethiopia to the Kenyan coast, and began operation around 2021.
Meanwhile, Italian luxury sports car makers Ferrari and Maserati have suspended deliveries to the Middle East because of the war. “We are closely monitoring developments ... and the potential implications for our business,” Ferrari said.
Maserati described the transport management situation in the region as “very critical.”