Don't Wait: Black Friday 2026 Ocean Shipments Loading Now – Your Final Call for US-to-Kenya Freight
This past Saturday (08/29/2026), we loaded a ocean shipping container from our Texas warehouse. Two weeks prior, we also had loaded another container destined to Nairobi. We do expect these two containers will get to Kenya just in time for Black Friday.
We do have another container that will be loading the third week of September, and that is the container we expect to get to Nairobi mid November.
The reason I wouldn't say that mid November is also good for Black Friday shopping, it's because sometimes clearing takes longer than a week or two.
The Clearing Challenge: A New KRA Requirement
There has been a lot of uncertainties in the way we clear goods, especially ocean shipments in Mombasa.
Recently, the KRA introduced ACD number requirement. This is documentation that you have to fill in KRA website just before or right after you load your container. But before it sells, shipping lines are actually demanding this number, and if they don't have this number, they are not going to send your container.
Time is Running Out – Act Now
The next container we are loading that do it from September this month. This is your final call for your Black Friday shopping and even your Christmas shopping.
The thing is most people wait wait too late, and things start slowing down. Even when these containers get to Mombasa because of congestion at the port.
Most people waiting another week or two can almost guarantee you that your items may not reach to Kenya before Christmas.
What We're Seeing at the Warehouse
So today, when I came to the warehouse, of course, we had to do a lot of cleanup for all the mess and empty pallets that were left when we loaded our container last Saturday.
Then to my surprise, I had a lot of shipments coming, but there was no way for those trucks to back up to our Dallas, Texas or Carleton, Texas warehouse because there were some trucks that were blocking the dock.
The owners of these trucks were in there just asleep, and it was so difficult to wake them up that I added up having to call the local police to come and get them out of the way.
I added up not getting one of the shipments that had arrived via RRL Paris, which is a big local LTL shipping company.
Booking Congestion is Building
Around this, his own shipments, especially ocean picks up quite a bit, and we start seeing congestion in bookings where we can't get bookings due to so many people trying to ship.
So if you're trying to ship anything from US to Kenya, this is the time to go ahead and do it because waiting another week or two can almost guarantee you that your items may not reach to Kenya before Christmas.
Here's What You Need to Do
I'm hoping that you will take advantage of the next container living out of Dallas and also over Delaware warehouse. If you need to ship anything by ocean from the US, this is the time to do it. Go ahead. Create your shipping account if you haven't and send your items to either Texas or Delaware warehouse for immediate forwarding to Nairobi.
We're Handling the CD Number
Regarding the ACD requirement, you don't need to worry about a thing. We are handling it.
Important Price Update
About the 700,000 shillings increase in the cost of clearing goods, yes you are going to see price increase on your shipments effective immediately.
That is expected, and I'm sure you are also expecting that. This price, of course, demanded by Kenyan government has to be paid. Businesses try their best to prevent price increase, but when the government has mandated such increases, we are left with no choice but to pass that cost down to the customer.