Plans to boost Mtwara port set
What you need to know:
- The government spent Sh157.8 billion during the strategic improvement of the Mtwara Port that increased its cargo handling capacity to one million tonnes annually.
Mtwara. In a bid to attract shipping lines and agents to use the Mtwara Port, the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) is planning to convene a stakeholders meeting in the region.
Mtwara port regional manager Juma Kijavara told The Citizen yesterday that the meeting, which is expected to attract many port stakeholders in the country, is intended to expound marketing services provided by the facility.
“The port that was mainly designed to handle general cargo has now been improved to handle 400,000 tonnes to one million tonnes of products per annum. However, nothing has been received as of recently,” he said.
Mr Kijavara was speaking during a visit of Zanzibar’s Works, Transportation and Communications minister Rahma Ally as part of marking the World Seafarer’s Day.
“We expect the port to be busy and receive big ships from September at the commencement of cashewnuts harvests,” he said.
He thanked Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa for directives that cashews produced in Ruvuma, Lindi and Mtwara regions should be transported via the Mtwara Port.
The government spent Sh157.8 billion during the strategic improvement of the Mtwara Port that increased its cargo handling capacity to one million tonnes annually.
The port improvement also involved provision of additional equipment for containerization traffic and general cargo.
TPA harbour master Abdullah Mwingamno said it stood third among the authority’s ports after Dar es Salaam and Tanga.
“The port is a key element of the Mtwara Development Corridor which is a scheme for provision of better transport links between the southern part of Tanzania (Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma regions) and neighbouring countries including Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique,” he said.
The corridor is expected to develop road and rail networks linking Lake Nyasa to neighbouring countries.
According to him, the port can handle 200,000 TEUs, with 27,500 square metres of stacking yards and 3,500, TEUs stacked five high.
For her part, Ms Ally commended TPA for the success, saying Zanzibar has a lot to learn in terms of ports improvements.
