NEWS on the planned facelift of Mbamba Bay Port in Ruvuma Region, the building of three new ships by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and an ongoing construction of Mbinga-Mbamba Bay road to tarmac level have delighted residents and traders in the area.
The Nyasa District Commissioner (DC), Ms Isabela Chilumba, says the lives of people in the area and development will now be taken to new heights.
Previously, Mbamba Bay Port, which is a strategic gateway to Malawi and Mozambique in the southern transport corridor, failed to realise its potential due to absence of ships to operate on Lake Nyasa and poor road infrastructures that link Mbinga District and Nyasa area where the terminal is located.
DC Chilumba spoke to reporters who visited the port site on Thursday afternoon, saying the construction of Mbinga Mbamba Bay road and the building of new ships by TPA would improve the business environment as it will further make Mbinga and Nyasa districts accessible by traders from Mbeya Region, Malawi and some parts of Mozambique.
Geographically, Mbinga- Mbamba Bay Road is a strategic stretch as it will facilitate goods offloaded as far as Mtwara Port in Mtwara Region to be transported overland through Masasi, Songea-Mbinga up to Mbamba Bay Port before being ferried by TPA ships to Malawi, Mozambique and even Njombe and Mbeya regions.
“Nyasa and Mbinga district residents did not believe us when we told them that Mbinga- Mbamba Bay Road would be constructed to tarmac level until they witnessed the contractor, CHICO, doing the civil works. The contractor has so far built 33 kilometres of the 66- kilometre carriageway,” she said.
According to the district commissioner, the opening of Nyasa District to the outside world will also attract investors to invest in the tourism sector, apart from simplifying transport to the residents.
Lake Nyasa is endowed with 400 species of ornamental fish, 200 varieties of fish meant for consumption and also hosts beautiful sand beaches.
Lake Nyasa Ports Manager, Mr Abed Gallus, said TPA was conducting a feasibility study on how to rebuild Mbamba Bay Port. He said the report on the study will be submitted to the authority next year.
According to Mr Gallus, the terminal is not only strategically meant to serve Ruvuma residents, specifically from Mbinga and Nyasa districts, but it is also capable of handling coal, cement cargo and other goods destined for Mbeya and as far as Malawi and Mozambique.
He said Mbamba Bay Port is, from early next year, expected to start handling coal cargo mined at Malini Village in the district, a factor that contributed to forcing TPA to start planning on how to rebuild the terminal.
Currently, TPA operates two cargo ships-MV Ruvuma and MV Njombe but the third modern and multi-purpose ship with the capacity to carry 200 passengers and 200 tonnes of cargo – MV Mbeya II- is expected to start operations next month.
