DAR ES SALAAM: AIR Tanzania Shipping Company Limited (ATCL) has made impres- sive strides in 2024, transporting over 1.1 million passengers and more than 10,000 tonnes of cargo.
In a recent press conference in Dar es Salaam, Government Chief Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Informa- tion, Culture, Arts and Sports Mr Gerson Msigwa, credited the na- tional airline’s success to the government’s investment in additional aircraft.
“ATCL has continued to be a key driver in the country’s aviation industry, facilitating both domestic and international transport of passengers and cargo.
This contributes to economic growth and strengthens Tanzania’s connectivity with other coun- tries,” Mr Msigwa said.
ATCL transported over 1 million passengers in the 2022/2023 fiscal year.
This was a significant increase from the 160,000 passengers transported in the 2016/2017 fiscal year.
Currently, the airline op- erates a fleet of 16 modern aircraft, including 15 passenger planes and one cargo aircraft.
These planes serve 27 destinations: 15 domestic locations, such as Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, Dodoma, Mbeya and Tanga and nine international destina- tions in Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Additionally, ATCL flies to three destinations out- side Africa: Dubai, Mumbai and Guangzhou.
From January to Decem- ber 2024, ATCL completed 16,522 flights, transporting 1,109,803 passengers and 10,181 tonnes of cargo. Mr Msigwa emphasised that ATCL’s ongoing transformation not only revitalises the country’s aviation industry but also supports other sectors, notably tourism and trade.
To ensure the airline’s staff are wel trained, Mr Msigwa mentioned that ATCL collaborates with both local and international aviation experts to provide ongoing training.
This includes safety procedures and opera- tions, as well as specific skills for working with Boeing and Airbus aircraft.
Moreover, ATCL maintains partnerships with various global airlines, including Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Air India, Qatar Airways, APG Airlines, Hahn Air, Oman Air, Rwanda Air, Egypt Air, Proflight Zambia, LAM Mozambique Airlines and Fly Dubai. The Ministry of
Transport reports that the government’s continued investment in ATCL, including the ac- quisition of new aircraft, has already yielded significant economic benefits.
Over the past three years, the airline has generated 182 million US dollars (about 492 billion Tanzanian shillings) in revenue.
In August 2024, the latest addition to the fleet, a Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner, was of- ficially received by Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA).
This new aircraft brings ATCL’s fleet to 16, which includes three B787-8 widebody jets, one B767-300F freighter, two B737-9 nar- rowbody planes, four A220- 300s and six regional turbo- props (one DHC-8-Q300 and five DHC-8-Q400s).
Commenting, the Minister for Transport Prof Makame Mbarawa stated that the new Dreamliner would enable ATCL to expand its route network and increase flight frequencies.
In a related development, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Prof Godius Kahyarara, noted that the expanded fleet has strengthened the airline’s ability to serve both domestic and international routes, boosting revenue for the airline and government through taxes.
The expansion has gen- erated over 492bn/- in revenue over the past three years, a sum equivalent to the initial cost of the Bombardier air- craft purchased by the gov- ernment.
Prof Kahyarara further explained that the investment in ATCL aligns with Tan- zania’s Third Five-Year Development Plan, the Development Vision 2025 and the ruling party’s CCM Election Manifesto (2020-2025).
Under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership, ATCL has seen a significant increase in foreign currency earnings, rising from an average of 17 million US dol- lars (about 45bn/-) when she took office in March 2021 to 70 million US dollars (about 189bn/-) in 2023.
Additional- ly, the airline has contributed an average of 80bn/- annually in taxes.
ATCL’s expanded fleet has positioned it as the lead- ing airline in the Central Corridor, serving countries that rely on the Dar es Salaam Port, including Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The airline’s operations are expected to enhance the Dar es Salaam Port and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), further strengthening Tanzania’s economic ties with neighbouring East African economies.
The new Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner, capable of car- rying 162 passengers and 20 tonnes of cargo, can cruise non-stop for 14 to 20 hours.
ATCL currently operates long-haul flights to China, Dubai and India and plans to extend its long-haul routes to London, UK, to serve more customers both domestically and internationally.
Economist and invest- ment banker Dr Hildebrand Shayo noted that the new air- craft enhances ATCL’s abil- ity to compete internationally.
He pointed out that the aircraft’s efficiency and long- range capabilities could sig- nificantly boost Tanzania’s tourism sector by improving access to major attractions like Serengeti National Park.
