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Dar es Salaam Port welcomes new shipping line, boosting trade efficiency
What you need to know:
- This new service is expected to reduce cargo arrival time from China from six weeks (42 days) to three weeks (21 days), thereby improving Tanzania's business efficiency.
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzanian business community is set to benefit significantly from the launch of a new direct shipping route between China and the Dar es Salaam Port by Korea Marine Transport Company Limited (KMTC).
This new service is expected to drastically reduce the time it takes for cargo to arrive from China, from six weeks (42 days) to three weeks (21 days), boosting the efficiency of Tanzania's businesses.
The arrival of the KMTC at the Dar es Salaam Port was made possible by the completion of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DMGP).
This $440.4 million project, funded by a World Bank loan ($345 million), a grant from the UK's Department for International Development ($12.4 million) and the Tanzanian government ($63.4 million), deepened and upgraded seven of the port's berths, expanded the entrance channel from 10.2 metres to 15.5 meters for a distance of eight kilometres, and widened it from 140 metres to 170 metres.
These improvements allow large vessels like the KMTC to smoothly access and dock at the port.
Commenting at the inauguration ceremony, Prof Godius Kahyarara, Permanent Secretary at the ministry of Transport, highlighted the importance of the DMGP in attracting KMTC's operations.
He described the route as a "huge step" for the port and a "massive opportunity for business prosperity" between Tanzania and Asian countries.
He further emphasised the increased efficiency of the Dar es Salaam Port, which now operates 24 hours a day to accommodate the growing number of large ships.
Looking ahead, Prof Kahyarara expressed optimism that the cargo transportation trend will further improve once the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) becomes operational, facilitating faster delivery of goods from ports to final destinations.
Mr Mrisho Mrisho, the director of the Dar es Salaam Port, echoed these sentiments, pointing to the recent arrival of several large ships, including the Emirates Shipping vessel, as evidence of the port's growing capacity.
The KMTC's arrival, with its 1,500 containers of cargo, marks a significant development for Tanzania, not only benefiting domestic businesses but also serving clients in neighbouring landlocked countries.
