Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has fully implemented directives issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to increase productivity and overall operational efficiency at Mtwara Port.
Speaking to reporters here yesterday the Manager of Mtwara Port Eng Juma Kijavara said several directives have been worked out, including dwell time for containers at the port and wharfage charges that have been reduced from 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent.
He said the management of the port has increased the number of days on both loaded and unloaded containers to dwell at the port whereby loaded containers will stay for 14 days for free and unloaded containers will stay for 21 days without charges.
“We have increased the grace period for dwell time for containers at the port on both loaded and unloaded containers. Unloaded containers will now stay at the port for 21 days for free from 14-day period while the loaded ones will stay for 14 days free from seven days allowed in the past,” he said.
He said dwell time for containers at the port was among the issues raised by transporters as among the challenges hindering the business at Mtwara Port.
“Transporters were complaining about the short dwell time for containers moving through Mtwara Port. Before, the loaded containers stayed for seven days and the unloaded stayed for fourteen days,” he said, adding that Mtwara Port is well prepared to handle the transportation work.
The exporters and importers also complained of higher wharfage charges compared to other ports. According to the manager, the charges have been reduced from 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent making it lower than other ports in the country.
“The authority is well and fully prepared to implement directives issued by the government to increase productivity at the port by working on challenges raised by business people in doing business through Mtwara Port,” he said.
In another development, the authority of Mtwara Port is set to transport 250,000 tonnes of cashew nuts come 2021/2022 harvest season, which is expected to start early September this year.
“Another directive that was issued by the government to TPA was to transport cashew nuts produced in Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma through Mtwara Port, we are well prepared to transport over 250,000 out of 280,000 to be produced in the regions in the coming season,” he said.
He said the port has put in line all supportive infrastructures for handling all the cargo including cashews and other products set to be transported through the terminal.
According to Eng Kijavara the port is also set to handle four ships with 150 metre length at the same time. In the past the port handled only two ships at the same time. The port also can handle 1,000,000 tonnes of imports and exports per annum up from 400,000 tonnes.
