Africa-Press – Tanzania. UGANDA military officers toured the Dar es Salaam port last month to learn among other things cargo handling and how Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) which manages the port, has improved safety and security of cargo.
The officers toured the Dar es Salaam port to see improved port operations and held meetings with the TPA management where they were briefed about cargo handling procedures and safety and security measures.
Dar es Salaam port has become the port of choice for Uganda shippers thanks to improved efficiency and upgraded infrastructure at the port as well as reopening of the central corridor route in 2018 which connects Dar es Salaam and Kampala using a multi model system on Lake Victoria.
The central corridor route is a multi model route because it uses different modes of transport. It uses railway from Dar es Salaam to Port Mwanza on Lake Victoria after which cargo is transported using a water vessel to Portbell in Kampala. From Portbell, the cargo is taken to a goods shade using the railway from Portbell to Uganda Railway cooperation offices in Kampala city centre.
This route was however abandoned after the collapse of the East African Community in 1997 and infrastructure was abandoned. With the re-establishment of the East African Community, different entities came together to reestablish some of the infrastructure that were abandoned. In this particular case, the central corridor route which connects Kampala and Dar es Salaam using a multi model system was also reopened.
All the stake holders involved including the Tanzania Ports Authority, Tanzania Railway Cooperation, the Uganda Railway Cooperation, the revenue authorities of both counties all came together to enable traders to use this route once again. Advantages of this Route Every train wagon can transport two containers of a capacity of 40 tonnes each Every train that leaves Dar es Salaam port has 22 wagons so each of train carries about 44 containers in one go.
On road, you would need 44 trucks or even more depending on the quantity of the cargo to transport that much cargo in one go. This probably stands out as one of the major advantages of this route over the Northern corridor route and explains why the Dar port has become the most prefered for Ugandan shippers.
In 2019 Uganda Members of Parliament said they appreciated the role of various agencies in facilitating trade at the port through the Single Custom Territory (SCT) being implemented by member states of the East African Community (EAC).
The lawmakers who were in a familiarisation tour at the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) facilities urged for improvement of infrastructure along the central corridor to expedite haulage of exports and imports from and to Uganda through Dar es Salaam Port, Mwanza and Port Bell across Lake Victoria.
Led by Chairman of Uganda’s Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr Henry Musasizi, the lawmakers said the Dar es Salaam Port facilitates trade between Uganda and the rest of the world.
“We are satisfied with transportation of goods from Uganda to the rest of the world and viceversa through the Dar es Salaam Port,” the chairman, Mr Musasizi had said. “There have been some challenges such as delays in clearance of cargo but TPA has given us confidence and commitment to improve operations.
Such was the level of confidence expressed by the Uganda’s lawmakers on the port handles about 95 per cent of Tanzania’s international trade and serves Uganda and other landlocked countries of Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. The port is strategically placed to serve as a convenient freight link not only with East and Central Africa but also with the Middle East, Far East, Europe, Australia and America.
This port is a very important point of entry and exit for goods from and to Uganda.” On the other hand, Mr Musasizi spoke highly of the ongoing expansion and improvement of the port through the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DSMGP), which aims to overhaul the port of Dar es Salaam’s infrastructure by 2023.
“It is our hope that the ongoing expansion will lead to increased efficiency in delivery of services and cost saving for traders,” he stated. In response, Mr Lema informed the lawmakers that the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) plans to increase the fleet of 200 wagons by the end of April, this year, to cater for the increasing demand of services along the central corridor.
The port official further stated that TPA had opened a liaison office in Kampala, Uganda, to handle complaints and facilitate Ugandan traders using the Dar es Salaam port.
Available reports indicate that volume of cargo to and from Uganda has been increasing from 2016 when the port handled 165,919 tonnes which almost doubled in the following year to 271,957 metric tonnes in 2017, thanks to revamping of the rail and lake transport between Mwanza and Kampala. Dar es Salaam Port Director Elihuruma Lema, informed the visiting legislators that the harbour gives special treatment to cargo destined to Uganda, including a grace period of 30 days for storage.
“There are also some cases where we scrap fees for goods which have overstayed at the port and this is aimed at offering affordable rates compared to other competing ports. “Traders from Uganda using our port should be rest assured of safety and speedy clearance of their consignments,” the port official assured the MPs.
A member of the parliamentary committee, Mr Okello Anthony, pointed out that Uganda is seriously committed on increasing transportation of cargo via Dar es Salaam Port-Mwanza-Port Bell and hence the need to improve operations and security.
The MP stressed that the focus on the central corridor by the Ugandan government will increase the volumes of cargo along the route.
