Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government has unveiled a raft of measures, from port expansion to rail and road upgrades, aimed at positioning the Dar es Salaam Port as the most competitive gateway in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Deputy Minister for Transport David Kihenzile outlined the strategy in Parliament in Dodoma yesterday while responding to a question from Special Seats MP Amina Ali Mzee on efforts to strengthen the port’s regional standing.
At the core of the plan is the integration of the port with key transport corridors, notably the Standard Gauge Railway and the TAZARA, to improve connectivity with East African and SADC markets.
The government is also pushing ahead with road upgrades, including the Kibaha– Chalinze–Morogoro stretch, to ease cargo movement between the port, the hinterland and neighbouring countries.
Kihenzile said private sector participation remains central to improving service delivery and efficiency at the facility.
Mr Kihenzile also noted that the government is throwing its weight behind upgrading roads, including the Kibaha–Chalinze–Morogoro road, which will subsequently enhance transportation from the Dar es Salaam Port to upcountry and neighbouring countries.
Mentioning successes recorded since the country embarked on major transformation of the Dar es Salaam Port, the Deputy Minister said consignments cleared at the facility have doubled from 5.6 million tonnes annually to 12.6 million tonnes
He thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for the milestone, assuring that with the ongoing execution of various projects, more success will be achieved.
He said the revenue collected from the facility has jumped to approximately 2tri/-, thanks to improved services, which have reduced clearance time and increased the number of ships serviced at the Port of Dar es Salaam.
In her basic question, the Member of Parliament asked the Government to explain efforts made at the Port of Dar es Salaam in order to handle more vessels.
In his response, Mr Kihenzile said through the ongoing Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DMGP), the Government has upgraded eight berths (Berths 0 to 7) at the Port of Dar es Salaam.
The project has also involved deepening the entrance channel to 14.5 metres and improving the turning basin.
This project has enhanced efficiency and increased the port’s capacity to handle larger vessels than before, thereby boosting the number of ships and cargo handled annually.
“In addition, the Government, through the Tanzania Ports Authority, is coordinating plans to construct approximately 10 new berths to enable the port to handle more vessels simultaneously,” he concluded
