Building one transport system for Dira 2050

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA’S growing investment in roads, railways, ports, airports and public transport is creating the physical foundation for a more connected economy.

However, as the country looks towards the ambitions of Dira 2050, the bigger challenge may no longer be how much infrastructure it can build, but how effectively it can make that infrastructure work together.

That was the central message delivered by Minister for Transport Professor Makame Mbarawa at the fourth International Conference on Transport, Logistics and Management (ICTLM) in Dar es Salaam recently.

Prof Mbarawa said Tanzania must move beyond developing individual transport projects and instead build an integrated multimodal system linking railways, roads, ports, airports and waterways.

The argument is straightforward but far-reaching: a modern railway cannot deliver its full value if it is disconnected from ports and roads; an efficient port cannot function as a regional gateway if cargo cannot move smoothly inland; and an expanding urban transport network cannot achieve maximum impact if it is planned separately from the wider economy.

For Tanzania, which wants to emerge as a competitive, industrialised and knowledgedriven economy under Dira 2050, transport integration is becoming an economic necessity rather than simply an infrastructure preference.

Tanzania has made substantial investments in transport infrastructure, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), roads, ports, airports, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and maritime transport.

These investments are important, but infrastructure by itself does not automatically create economic transformation. A railway is valuable when it moves passengers and freight efficiently.

A modern port is valuable when ships are handled quickly and cargo can leave without unnecessary delays. Roads become economically productive when they connect producers to markets and industries to sources of raw materials.

This is why Prof Mbarawa’s emphasis on moving from infrastructure construction to system integration deserves attention.

The question should no longer be simply how many kilometres of roads or railway Tanzania has built.

More important questions are: How much does it cost to move cargo? How long does it take? How reliable is the journey? How easily can one mode connect to another?

These indicators ultimately determine whether transport infrastructure is supporting economic growth. Different transport modes have different strengths.

Railways can move large volumes of freight over long distances, while roads provide flexibility and last-mile connectivity.

Ports provide access to international maritime markets, and airports support passengers and highvalue or time-sensitive cargo. The challenge is to make these systems function as parts of one supply chain.

A shipment from an inland production area may travel by truck to a railway terminal, by rail to a port, through the port onto a ship and eventually to an overseas market.

If the transfer between any stages is slow, expensive or poorly coordinated, the efficiency of the entire journey suffers.

Tanzania, therefore, needs compatible systems, coordinated schedules, efficient cargo handling, digital documentation, reliable information and streamlined regulations.

The country’s access to the Indian Ocean and transport links into East and Central Africa gives it the potential to become a major regional gateway, including for land linked neighbouring countries.

But geography alone will not make Tanzania a logistics hub. Businesses choose transport corridors based on cost, reliability, speed, security and predictability.

Shippers are concerned not only about distance to a port but also about how long cargo takes to clear the port, how quickly it can move inland and whether unexpected delays and costs will occur. Tanzania must therefore compete on service quality as well as location.

Its ports, railways, roads, border posts, warehouses and logistics companies must operate as one connected corridor if the country is to strengthen its position in regional trade.

The minister’s call for lower logistics costs and shorter cargo transit times has implications far beyond transport. Transport costs are reflected in the prices of goods and services.

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For manufacturers, expensive transport raises the cost of raw materials and machinery. For farmers, poor connectivity can reduce the value of produce by making it difficult or costly to reach markets.

For exporters, unreliable logistics can make Tanzanian products less competitive. Transport efficiency should therefore be viewed as a productivity issue.

Reducing the cost and time required to move goods can make businesses more competitive, integrate markets and attract investment.

Transport infrastructure should consequently be regarded not merely as government expenditure, but as an economic platform capable of raising productivity across sectors.

Dira 2050’s ambitions for an industrialised and knowledgedriven economy will depend heavily on efficient supply chains.

Factories need raw materials, processors need agricultural products, exporters need access to ports and retailers need reliable distribution networks.

Investors also need confidence that goods can move efficiently from production facilities to domestic and international markets.

A well-connected transport network can bring together producers, processing centres, warehouses, industrial parks, markets and ports.

It can also influence investment decisions, since businesses tend to favour locations with reliable roads, railways, communications and logistics services.

Transport policy, is therefore inseparable from industrial policy. If Tanzania wants industries to grow beyond major urban centres, transport corridors must connect production areas to processing facilities and markets.

If the country wants to expand exports, logistics systems must connect producers efficiently to international gateways.

The ICTLM theme— “Towards Smart, Green, Integrated and Resilient Transport and Logistics for Seamless Connectivity and Trade Facilitation”—also highlights the growing importance of digital technology. Modern logistics increasingly depends on real-time information.

Digital platforms can track cargo, manage traffic, coordinate freight and reduce paperwork.

Electronic documentation can speed up customs and border procedures, while automated systems can improve port and warehouse operations.

Artificial intelligence could also contribute to demand forecasting, route optimisation, predictive maintenance and traffic management. But digital systems must be able to communicate with one another.

Transport operators, port authorities, customs agencies, railway companies and logistics providers should be able to exchange information securely and efficiently. Without interoperability, digitalisation could simply reproduce the fragmentation found in the physical system.

The future transport network must therefore be physically and digitally connected.

Prof Mbarawa also challenged researchers to develop practical solutions to transport sector problems and ensure that research translates into action and measurable results.

Universities and research institutions can provide valuable evidence on congestion, logistics costs, road safety, railway performance, port efficiency, urban mobility and climate risks.

But research has limited public value if it remains confined to academic publications.

Transport integration should not be limited to cargo and international trade. Tanzania’s rapidly growing cities also need efficient transport systems to support economic productivity.

Congestion costs people time and money and reduces business efficiency.

BRT and other public transport investments can help, but they need to be integrated with other modes of mobility. At the same time, transport planning must take climate change seriously.

Roads, bridges, railways, ports and airports are vulnerable to flooding, extreme weather and other climaterelated risks. Planning for 2050 means considering the full life cycle of infrastructure.

Spending more on resilient infrastructure today may prevent much larger costs from damage, reconstruction and economic disruption in the future.

Green transport should similarly be seen as part of a more efficient and sustainable economy rather than an obstacle to growth.

Perhaps the greatest challenge is institutional rather than engineering. Different transport modes may involve different institutions, operators, regulations and investment programmes.

Each can perform well individually while the overall system remains inefficient. A port may improve its operations while cargo continues to face delays inland.

A railway may increase capacity while customers struggle with cargo collection and delivery. Roads may be expanded while urban congestion persists.

The solution requires institutions to look beyond individual projects and consider the entire transport chain.

Greater coordination is needed in planning, regulation, investment, data sharing and operations, accompanied by clear accountability for system-wide performance.

The private sector must also have a stronger voice. Manufacturers, farmers, traders, exporters, importers, shipping companies and logistics operators experience bottlenecks daily and can help identify unnecessary procedures, delays and infrastructure gaps.