Tanzania achieves a significant milestone as Tanga Port completes extensive upgrades, allowing all large ships serving the East African region to dock at its terminal. Operational since the late 1880s, Tanga Port has undergone substantial infrastructure improvements, positioning it as a key player in facilitating domestic and international trade through the northern gateway.
Tanga Port Manager, Masoud Mrisha, shared details of the enhancements, which include expanding entrance and exit channels for ships, increasing water depth from 3 meters to 13 meters, and widening two berths to 450 meters. These strategic improvements, costing a total of TZS 429.1 billion, mark a crucial step in spurring economic growth and supporting Tanzania's industrialization efforts.
The first phase of the project, implemented for TZS 172.3 billion , involved expanding the entrance channel, increasing the draft at the turning basin, and procuring modern equipment. The second phase, with a cost of TZS 256.8 billion, focused on constructing new 450-meter-long berths.
Mr. Mrisha highlighted that the port's improvements have attracted large and modern ships, with approximately 19 large ships from various countries already serviced at Tanga Port, handling over 100,000 tonnes of cargo. The increased efficiency has led to reduced servicing time and operational costs, making Tanga Port a preferred choice for shipping companies.
Simba Terminals successfully convinced one of the largest and most modern ships to use Tanga Port for transporting cargo from Russia to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Simba Terminals Manager, Awadhi Massawe, noted that 4,900 tonnes of general cargo were offloaded at the port.
Tanga Port aims to handle 1.2 million tonnes of cargo in the 2023–2024 financial year. Mr. Mrisha also revealed plans to start receiving car ships at Tanga Port, reflecting the port's growing significance in regional trade and transportation.
Tanga Port, managed by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), stands as the second-largest port in the country, contributing to Tanzania's economic development and trade facilitation in the Indian Ocean Corridor.