| Official Name: | Port Bell |
| Pushpin Map: | Uganda |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Uganda |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Uganda |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Central Uganda |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kampala Capital City Authority |
| Subdivision Type3: | Division |
| Subdivision Name3: | Nakawa Division |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2014 Census |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Coordinates: | 0.2889°N 32.6536°W |
| Elevation M: | 1130 |
Port Bell is a small industrial centre in the greater metropolitan Kampala area, in Uganda. Port Bell has a rail link and a railroad ferry wharf used for International traffic across Lake Victoria to Tanzania and Kenya.[1]
Port Bell is located in Nakawa Division, one of the five administrative divisions of the city of Kampala. It is a subdivision of the greater Luzira area in the south-eastern part of the city. It is located at the end of a narrow inlet of Lake Victoria, approximately 11km (07miles), by road, south-east of the central business district of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.[2] The coordinates of Port Bell are 0°17'20.0"N, 32°39'13.0"E (Latitude:0.288900; Longitude:32.653620).
The port is named after Henry Hesketh Bell, a British commissioner, who took over administration of Britain's interests in Uganda in 1906.[3] Its rail link is a branch line from the Kampala-Jinja main line.
Lake Victoria ferries operate from Port Bell linking Kampala to other railhead ports on Lake Victoria including Jinja, Kisumu, Musoma, and Mwanza.[1]
When the first stage of the Uganda Railway was completed in 1901, the railhead was at Kisumu, 12 hours journey from Port Bell by ship.[4] Ferries brought goods by lake between Port Bell and Kisumu.[5] [6] It was not until 1931 that the main line of the railway from Nakuru reached Kampala and then Port Bell.[6] [7] [8] [9]
Uganda Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of East African Breweries, has a brewery and a distillery for Uganda Waragi at Port Bell.[10] [11]
The points of interest in or near Port Bell include:
Between 1930 and 1950 Port Bell was a landing point on the Imperial Airways flying boat passenger and mail route from Southampton to Johannesburg's Vaal Dam. Port Bell linked Khartoum and Kisumu. The nearby Silver Springs Hotel was originally built by the British Overseas Airways Corporation as a rest stop for passengers between long flights.[14] During World War II, Port Bell was also on the route connecting Cairo with Libreville.[15]