Optimistic as Mtwara Port cargo handling capacity increases

MTWARA: THE Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has expressed confidence in Mtwara Port’s cargo handling capacity following the recent purchase and installation of modern heavy equipment and increased manpower.

The government, through the TPA, has purchased modern machinery for the facility, including gantry cranes, empty handlers and terminal tractors, in efforts to strengthen cargo handling.

Briefing on the progress of the facility recently, Mtwara Port Manager, Ferdinand Nyati, said the port can now handle both small and large ships and thus invited transporters, including those of agro-products such as cashews, to use the port.

“In this fiscal year, Mtwara Port is well prepared to handle more cargo, as we have added more equipment for both offloading and loading, as well as enough workforce to operate them,” he said.

Highlighting the port’s performance, he said that in the last financial year (FY) 2023/24, the port handled a total of 28 ships, which carried cashews totalling 219,000 tonnes.

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He said the transformative move reflects the implementation of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directive issued during her visit to the region in 2023, where she ordered the swift renovation of Mtwara Port to effectively serve cashew transporters.

Mr Nyati explained that the number of mobile cranes has increased to three, from the two that existed previously, adding that the move is intended to speed up the offloading of bulk cargo.

In another development, he said the government has allocated funds to procure a highly sophisticated gantry crane, which will be installed by October this year to boost loading capacity at the port.

Additionally, in this financial year (FY) 2024/25, he said the TPA has added a new tug worth 20bn/-, an assistance boat for mooring or berthing operations by either towing or pushing vessels towards Mtwara Port.

More significantly, he said the TPA has emphasised the importance of leveraging Information Communication Technology (ICT) and skilled personnel by ensuring there are sufficient staff to operate the latest equipment.

He said the addition of machinery complements the government’s intensive investment, worth over 157.8bn/-, which has led to the improvement of the entire facility, making it capable of serving large ships, unlike before 2020, when it only handled small ships.