(Yicai Global) Dec. 18 -- The opening ceremony of the Nairobi Inland Container Depot built by China Road and Bridge Corp. took place Dec. 16 in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The Nairobi ICD is an important ancillary project of the Kenya railway project that lies on the west side of the Nairobi terminus of the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway.

Construction on the ICD started May 1 last year. The opening of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway kindles the hope of greater exports from Kenya and other East African countries. The operation of a modern inland container port will boost the future shipping capacity of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway, accelerate the flow of trade, reduce logistics costs, drive economic development along the rail line and create employment opportunities for the Kenyan people, said Uhuru Kenyatta, the country's president, in a speech at the ceremony.

The completion of the ICD will also greatly lift the market competitiveness of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway and Mombasa port and consolidate Kenya's position as an East African logistics hub, which is of positive significance in extending the Belt and Road into the hinterland of Africa, said Li Xuhang, minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya.

CRBC is a large state-owned enterprise in China primarily engaged in engineering contracting, construction, design, supervision, consulting and international trade. The company has five wholly-owned or held subsidiaries and 31 overseas branches.