Dar port's role in facilitating mega projects

Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam Port has outlined its role to facilitate the execution of Tanzania’s strategic projects after government sustained investment in upgrading the sea gateway during the past few years.

Without revealing the actual amount, the manager for general cargo at the Dar es Salaam port, Mr Abel Garlus, told journalists at the weekend that the investments have effectively helped to facilitate the flow of goods that are meant to help in the execution of a number of major projects, including the standard gauge railway (SGR), the 2,115-megawatt Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop).

Specifically, said Mr Garlus, TPA has procured a total of 98 modern forklifts and two huge Ship to Shore Gantry Cranes (SSG).

“With these equipment, we are now capable of handling cargo weighing up to 200 tonnes at a go at any given time. This puts Dar es Salaam on the list of modern and most efficient ports,” said Mr Garlus.

Mr Garlus was speaking in Dar es Salaam at the weekend during a press briefing that was meant to update journalists on recent developments at the port.

Its geographical location, coupled with the technical know-how and the efficiency of its manpower, gives the Dar es Salaam port an upper hand when compared to its regional peers. This, according to Mr Garlus, has helped to minimize the costs that Tanzania incurs in executing its strategic projects.

“For instance, we recently handled pipelines weighing 17,000 tonnes for the Eacop project,” said Mr Garlus, adding that 16 more ships were currently on their way to Dar es Salaam, carrying more pipelines for the Eacop project.

Similarly, the TPA has handled a lot of equipment for the SGR, including those weighing 7,000 tonnes for the fifth lot of the project which was handled at the Dar es Salaam port recently.

“Besides, we have also handled 27 passenger locomotives and three engines for SGR trains,” he said.

Recently, the port handled seven huge plants – each weighing an average of 50 tonnes - for the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam.

In his remarks, the TPA director general, Mr Plasduce Mbossa, said the work to improve all ports in Tanzania was an ongoing one, adding that the 98 modern forklifts will be distributed to various ports across the country.

“Our aim is to improve the efficiency of our ports,” he said, noting that the 98 forklifts were imported in two different phases.

TPA believes that an efficient port will help to connect farmers, livestock keepers and others to international market opportunities for their various products.

“The ongoing industrial revolution in Tanzania, along with a surge in mining activities in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) means that the importance of an efficient Dar es Salaam port need not be overemphasized,” said Mr Garlus.

Apart from exporting their minerals through the Dar es Salaam port, miners in the two countries also import their equipment through the same sea gateway.

And, according to Mr Mbossa, TPA will continue to invest in its ports and ensure that they go along with the ongoing competition and the rapid change in technology, growth of the marine transport sector and improvement of the global economy.

As part of the ongoing transformation of the Dar es Salaam port, TPA signed last year signed a 30-year concession agreement and Host Government Agreement (HGA) with the Dubai Port (DP) World to operate and modernise berths four to seven of the multi-purpose Dar es Salaam Port which connects Tanzania and the wider region to global markets.

Under the first phase of a multiphase investment plan, DP World will initially invest more than $250 million to upgrade the port and the investment could increase to $1 billion during the concession period, alongside hinterland logistics projects.

Under the agreements, berths 0 to three will be operated jointly between TPA and DP World.

TPA remains hopeful that the investment marked the beginning of much more that will come in to stimulate economic activities through the Kwala Free Economic Zone where a number of processing factories will be built. The products to be processed at the Kwala Free Economic Zone will be exported via Tanzania’s ports and through other official routes.