Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has commended Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) for funding some of the ongoing upgrading Dar es Salaam port projects.
According to the acting Director General for TPA, Awadhi Massawe, upon completion the projects will tremendously improve and make the port more competitive regionally.
A delegation from TMEA over the weekend inspected various projects at the Dar es Salaam port.
“We have some challenges in regard to some infrastructure here but TMEA is helping us sort out some of them,” Massawe told journalists during a tour.
He noted that currently, TMEA is funding gates expansion project that aims at easing trucks congestion experienced now.
Upon completion, gate number five will only be used for incoming trucks to load cargo at Tanzania International Container Terminal Ltd (TICTS) and at TPA side.
Gate number four will be used for exit of all trucks while gate number eight will be used by trucks taking cargo from TICTS.
TMEA is also funding the rehabilitation of a road from UDA area up to Mivinjeni that will help easing congestion of trucks as a result of closing of a section of Mandela Express Highway covering an area from UDA to Dar es Salaam Institute of Accountancy for rehabilitation and bridge construction.
At the moment all traffic passes via a road near TPA headquarter offices toward Kilwa road and meet with traffic coming from Kariakoo and City centre areas and leads to a serious road traffic congestion.
TMEA is funding phase one of Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DMGP) which focuses on enhancing port’s spatial efficiency through demolition and relocation of sheds 2-7, upgrading roads and gates to introduce a single way traffic flow system at the port, improving productivity and operational processes.
DMGP is aimed at modernizing the port by improving its physical infrastructure capacity and operational efficiency.
A total cost of the whole DMGP project is valued at USD 585 million.
Phase one of the project is expected to increase Dar es Salaam port’s capacity to 18 million tonnes by 2016/2017 and 22 million tonnes by 2020.
A member of the board of TMEA, Ali Mufuruki expressed his appreciation after witnessing a smooth continuation of projects they had funded.
“This port is crucial for Tanzania and other neighbouring countries’ prosperity,” he said.
TMEA believes that Tanzania’s highest economic growth in the region will only be sustained if trade becomes more competitive in region and globally.
Dar es Salaam port serves seven landlocked countries including DRC, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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