Mega port upgrade reshapes Tanga economy
DODOMA: THE major upgrade of Tanga Port by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has significantly improved operational efficiency, attracting increased maritime traffic and boosting economic activities in the region.
The upgraded facility is now serving more neighbouring countries, including Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a gateway for imports and exports.
Tanga Regional Commissioner, Ambassador Batilda Buriani revealed these achievements during a press conference in Dodoma on Tuesday, showcasing the region’s progress under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
She said the 429.1bn/- port expansion project has reduced ship turnaround time from five days to just two, contributing to a substantial increase in cargo handling and vessel traffic.
“According to our records, the number of ships docking at the port increased from 198 in 2021 to 307 in 2025, while cargo volume rose from 888,130 tonnes to 1.191 million tonnes during the same period,” said Amb Buriani.
Container throughput also saw growth, with volumes rising from 7,036 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2021 to 7,817 TEUs in 2025.
“This has led to increased revenue and created both short- and long-term employment opportunities,” she noted.
The RC added that, as part of broader marine transport improvements in the region, the government allocated 1.118bn/- for the rehabilitation of the MV Tanga ferry to enhance accessibility and service delivery.
On the implementation of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), Amb Buriani noted that compensation for those affected by the project implementation in Tanga Region had reached 98.7 per cent. Of the 1,580 project affected individuals, 1,560 had received a total of 9.38bn/- in compensation.
She said, a total of 43 replacement houses have been constructed for 40 households, with 100 per cent of the work completed and homes handed over to beneficiaries.
ALSO READ: AMDT to support over 28,000 young farmers in five regions
In the livestock sector, she said the region received 20.16bn/- between November 2020 and April 2025 to support various development initiatives. Amb Buriani also said that Tanga Region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose from 6.818tri/- in 2020 to 9.581tri/- in 2024, accounting for 4.7 per cent of the national GDP, which stood at 205.846tri/-.
“This growth has been driven by productive activities across multiple sectors, particularly agriculture, livestock, fisheries, natural resources and tourism,” she said. She further noted improvements in social services across the region during the same period, especially in health, education, water and infrastructure.
In the health sector alone, the number of public health facilities increased from 325 in 2020 to 417 in 2025, an addition of 92 new facilities. This included an increase in dispensaries from 287 to 361, health centres from 31 to 46 and hospitals from 7 to 10.
