Author: BERNARD LUGONGO
AfricaPress-Tanzania: CONSTRUCTION works for all seven berths at the Dar es Salaam Port is set to be finalized by October this year, as the contractor now embarks on constructing the remaining three berths.
After completion of construction of berth number one to four, the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), has started ground works to construct the remaining three (5, 6 and 7).
Works, Transport and Communication Minister Eng Isack Kamwelwe toured the port yesterday, to inspect progress of the construction and upgrading of the infrastructures under the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DMGP) jointly funded by the government and the World Bank.
Eng Kamwelwe said the deepening and construction works for the three remaining berths would be completed in October this year.
He said initial works would be to remove old structures at the area for the construction of the berths, including pulling down a cargo shed located at berth number seven.
This shed was being used by the Impala Company, to consolidate copper from neighbouring DR Congo and Zambia loading into vessels for export.
“An agreement has been reached with the company to have this shed demolished to pave the way for the construction works of the berths,” said the minister.
Eng Kamwelwe said that since the company was a good partner in business, the ministry decided to give it a temporary warehouse within the port to continue with its activities of copper consolidation.
The minister however noted that a permanent godown for the company will be at Ubungo area.
Giving an insight of berth number one to four, which is currently operating, Eng Kamwelwe explained that the Dar es Salaam Port is now capable of accommodating big vessels that previously could not dock due to shallow depth of the berths.
When he was inspecting berth number four yesterday, there was a big ship christened ‘Ever Alliance’ from Oman, which docked ready to offload 45,000 tonnes of materials for producing cement.
“After upgrading these berths, we can now offload a vessel of this capacity in just five days, while it previously took 14 days,” he stated.
Upgrading of the berths and reduced number of days for loading and off-loading enable more ships to dock at the port.
