Milestone reform set to unlock manufacturing growth, streamline exports, and elevate trade visibility across the nation

The Dar es Salaam port poised to enhance efficiency as it launches Fixed Berthing Windows (FBW) for Terminal 2

In a landmark shift poised to redefine the future of port operations in Tanzania, Tanzania East Africa Gateway Terminal Limited (TEAGTL) the private operator of Terminal 2 has success­fully implemented the Fixed Berthing Win­dows (FBW) concept at the Dar es Salaam Port.

This operational reform is being hailed as a transformational step in the moderniza­tion of Tanzania’s maritime logistics sector, with far-reaching benefits for manufactur­ers, exporters, and regional trade corridors.

Infusing structure and predictabili­ty of shipments through Dar es Salaam port

FBW introduces a structured system of pre-assigned berthing slots, replacing the traditional first-come-first-served arrange­ment.

Considered as an industry best practice, the concept of Fixed Berthing Window (FBW) aims to reduce waiting time for ves­sels and accelerate cargo movement through the port of Dar es Salam.

The result is enhanced predictability, reduced vessel waiting times, and improved coordination between shipping lines, logis­tics providers, and cargo owners.

With the first-come-first-served arrange­ment for handling vessels being riddled with inefficiencies and causing congestion and a long queue of vessels waiting outside the port, TEAGTL was keenly cognizant of the need to improve this aspect of the port’s performance.

Given the interconnected nature of glob­al transport networks, delays at preceding ports can be magnified at latter ports of call, hampering supply chain integrity and deter­ring global container carriers from calling at the port - making the shift to FBW an imperative for delivering superior service to Carriers and Tanzanian export and import (EXIM) community.

In the last three months alone, out of 65 vessels handled by TEAGTL at Terminal 2, out of which more than 32% were served under Fixed Berthing Windows, with the proportion progressively increasing each month, to reach 48% in March - a remark­able achievement in such a short span. The terminal now aims to scale this up to 75% FBW coverage by the end of May, indicative of strong adoption by major shipping lines and growing confidence in the system.

“The introduction of the FBW concept marks a significant milestone in enhanc­ing efficiency, and service delivery in our maritime ports sector, strengthening our competitiveness as a regional trade hub. It is a testament to TPA’s unwavering com­mitment in partnering with TEAGTL as a private entity in view of developing a world-class port ecosystem at the Dar es Salaam Port that accelerates Tanzania’s trade and economic growth to support our broader vision of national development.”

Mr. Plasduce Mbossa, Director Gener­al, Tanzania Ports Authority

“The implementation of FBW at the TEAGTL terminal is a notable stride towards efficiency, transparency, and predictability. This initiative directly sup­ports TASAC’s mandate to regulate and promote safe, secure, and environmen­tally sound shipping practices, enhanc­ing Tanzania’s competitiveness in global trade. This progress is vital to our vision of fostering a resilient, well-regulated mari­time industry.

Mr. Mohamed Salum, Direc­tor General, Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC)

“In line with our emphasis on addressing the longstanding chal­lenge of unpredictable waiting times for vessels, we leveraged our collective experience from oper­ating 10 container terminals in India, including Mundra – which is India’s largest container port – comprising aggregate volume of 11 million TEUs, bringing a vast repository of Sectoral knowledge and expertise. I am proud that our Operations and Commercial teams rose to the challenge and ensured successful implementation of FBW.”

This is not just a terminal improvement - it’s a shift in the way trade is facilitated at the national level. Our efforts are aimed at the Tanzanian manufacturing and per­ishables sectors—to build a com­petitive advantage through supply chain visibility for exporters and importers, reduce inventory lev­els, and make Tanzanian products more competitive in global mar­kets. Ultimately, our goal is to cre­ate the confidence and efficiency needed for shipping lines to build more tonnage into and out of Tan­zania.”

Mr. Shahzad Athar, Director, Tanzania East Africa Gateway Terminal Limited

“The success of the FBW con­cept is a remarkable testimonial to the dedication and efforts of our entire team. By providing fixed and predictable berthing schedules, FBW is already helping to reduce vessel waiting times and improve overall port performance.

To complement this, we are also expanding our reefer plug capacity to meet the growing demand for cold-chain logistics. This is par­ticularly important for high-value agricultural exports like avocadoes, where reliability and freshness are critical.

Together, FBW and enhanced reefer infrastructure will support Tanzanian exporters to expand in global markets.”

Capt. Jeyaraj Thamburaj, CEO, Tanzania East Africa Gateway Terminal Limited

A Game-Changer for Tan­zania’s local producers and exporter to foreign markets

The manufacturing and indus­trial sectors are among the biggest beneficiaries of this reform. With FBW in place, importers, exporters can better synchronize production with vessel schedules, improve delivery timelines, and reduce importation and exploration costs associated with inventory, stor­age, and demurrage. The result is stronger export competitiveness and more efficient integration into global value chains.

This will also help unlock the latent potential in perishables and agro-exports, where timing is crit­ical, while simultaneously catalyse growth in ancillary sectors such as cold chain logistics, warehousing, and distribution.

Upcoming initiatives to enhance cargo visibility at the Terminal 2

TEAGTL is planning to intro­duce several critical initiatives at the Terminal 2 of the Dar es Salaam Port aimed at further enhancing trade visibility, transparency, and customer service—solidifying Dar es Salaam Port’s position as a reli­able and modern logistics hub in East Africa. These include:

Real-Time container tracking: TEAGTL will launch a digital track­ing system that enables shippers to monitor the status and movement of containers throughout the ter­minal in real time. This will signif­icantly improve planning, reduce uncertainty, and strengthen end-to-end supply chain visibility.

Digital documentation plat­form: A streamlined, paperless system for processing cargo docu­mentation will go live - minimizing manual interventions, reducing delays, and improving compliance accuracy for both imports and exports. The platform will also allow trade participants to seam­lessly interact with port operators, shipping lines, and other key stake­holders, while enabling secure digital payments across multiple parties in the logistics chain.

24/7 customer support: oper­ationalization of a dedicated cus­tomer support ecosystem, includ­ing a round-the-clock hotline and WhatsApp channel, to provide instant assistance, status updates, and resolution of queries for cargo owners, freight agents, and trans­porters.

These upcoming initiatives are not just technological upgrades—they are strategic investments in building a smarter, faster, and more responsive trade environment for Tanzania.

National and regional impact

With increasing trade volumes and growing demand for efficien­cy, the reforms at Dar es Salaam Port are being seen as a national milestone in Tanzania’s logistics modernization. The changes also enhance the port’s capacity to serve neighboring landlocked countries such as Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burun­di, Rwanda, Zambia, and Malawi, further solidifying Tanzania’s posi­tion as a regional gateway for trade and transit.

By combining operational excel­lence with digital innovation and regulatory alignment, TEAGTL is setting a new benchmark for how African ports can modernize while directly supporting national eco­nomic goals, industrialization, and private sector growth.