AfricaPress-Tanzania: AT last, the eagerly awaited Kwala Dry Port is expected to begin operations early next month.
The impending functioning of this dry port, located in Coast region, would usher in a new era of carrying cargo by train from the Dar es Salaam Port, thus, relieving roads from serving heavy cargo trucks from the country’s mega Port.
Works, Transport and Communications Minister Isack Kamwelwe said yesterday that from next May the Kwala Dry Port would start receiving containerised cargo.
The new development follows the completion of a 1.3 kilometres of railway which branches off from the central railway to Kwala Dry Port.
This was along with completion of part of a concrete floor for keeping the cargo containers.
Speaking after arriving at the Dry Port to inspect the construction works, Eng Kamwelwe explained that once the Dry Port starts operations it will help the decongestion of the Dar es Salaam Port which has been witnessing an increase of cargo day by day due to its ongoing huge improvements.
“We started construction works in February 2017 and now the work is going well. So far, the port can receive the containerised cargo,” he stated.
To start with, on the date of launching of the Dry Port, which is scheduled on May 1, this year, at least 40 containers will be sent at the port as demonstration for the official opening.
He noted that houses for at least 10 officials working at the port were constructed as well as office buildings.
He directed the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd (TTCL) to connect the houses and offices with the internet by late this month.
Speaking about the road that connects the port to Morogoro Road, the minister said the government was making final preparations for its construction to ensure that trucks could drive to the Dry Port to pick cargo instead of going to the Dar es Salaam Port.
On his part, Director General of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Eng Deusdedit Kakoko, assured that the Dry Port was ready to receive containers.
About houses for workers, Eng Kakoko said there were 20 rooms for the staff, 10 other rooms for officers and the remaining 10 rooms for the TPA security officers.
