PORTS OPERATIONS:Samia demands efficiency

TANGA: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has urged port workers to remain diligent as the government continues investing in major infrastructure improvements.

She made the call while addressing employees at Tanga Port after inspecting two newly upgraded berths at the end of her working tour of the region.

Dr Samia said that the upgrades will enhance the government’s capacity to serve citizens and facilitate the delivery of various social services through domestic revenue.

“Ongoing improvements at the country’s three main ports Mtwara, Dar es Salaam and Tanga along with future developments in Bagamoyo, reaffirm Tanzania’s position as a key gateway to East Africa and beyond. “This will not only make Tanzania a trade hub in the region but also a centre for industries and investment,” President Samia said.

She urged port workers to increase efficiency, recognising that Tanzania faces competition from other ports mak- ing similar improvements.

“We must work hard, reduce ship waiting times and lower operational costs. This will attract more cargo to our ports,” she said.

“Even though some neighbouring countries are considering new corridors, Indian Ocean ports remain crucial.”

She encouraged employees to embrace new technology and upgrades, stressing the need to adapt larger  modern ships as major investors enter the market.

“There will be investors with greater capacity, and port workers must be quick to learn and keep up with the required skills and expertise,” she said.

President Samia also spoke about plans to establish a sugar factory, where the investor will develop a dedicated port area using advanced technology to support the factory’s operations.

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She called for integrity among port workers, acknowledging concerns about better working conditions buurging them to uphold ethical standards.

The Head of State also directed port authorities to take action against employees who tarnish the reputation of the sector or seek to undermine the economy.

“I am satisfied with the improvements made at our ports. In the past, the situation was very concerning and I of- ten wondered how the board could justify supporting individuals engaged in economic sabotage, you have been en- trusted with this responsibility, so I urge you to oversee the ports and workers properly,” she said.

President Samia also spoke of the construction of a 340-kilometre Handeni-Kiberashi-Kijigu-Singida road, describing it as essential for port development.

She proposed implementing the project through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to speed up construction.

“I have discussed this mat- ter with the Minister for Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa. We should not rely solely on the Ministry of Works because the project will take too long.

The Transport and Works ministries should collaborate in finding an investor who can build the road to our stan- dards, set up toll gates and collect fees for cost recovery,” she said.

Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Director General Plasduce Mbossa briefed President Samia on the progress of the Tanga Port project, stating that the port had struggled to oper- ate efficiently due to high costs and limited ship arrivals.

The improvements in- volved constructing a 450-metre berth, dredging the ship entry channel and creating a turning basin.

Previously, ships anchored offshore and offloaded cargo onto smaller vessels before transporting it to the port due to shallow waters.

“We have increased the depth from three metres to 13 metres, created a turning area and built a new berth. We also acquired 16 modern cranes, with the first phase costing 172bn/- and the sec- ond phase 253.8bn/-,” he said.

Following these upgrades, the port has begun handling transit copper and revenue has surged from 21bn/- to 70bn/- in the last financial year.

“With these improvements, large ships can now dock directly at Tanga Port,” Mbossa said, adding “We plan to expand with a 300-metre berth using gov- ernment resources and a 600-metre berth in partnership with the private sector to further increase capacity.”

The port currently handles three million tonnes of cargo annually, with ambitions to integrate port operations with industries such as fertiliser, sugar and agricultural processing.

Transport Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa said Tanga Port has received significant investment, with the major upgrade costing 419.16bn/-.

“The improvements have led to remarkable progress. The port’s cargo handling capacity has increased from 750,000 tonnes to three million tonnes per year and the number of ships docking has risen from 118 in 2019/2020 to 307 in 2023/2024,” he said.

He added that ship service time has reduced from five days to two, cutting operational costs and attracting more customers.

The port has also recorded higher revenue, collecting 49.84bn/- within the first seven months of the 2024/25 financial year.

President Samia conclud- ed her seven-day working tour in Tanga yesterday, during which she launched and inspected various development projects worth approxi- mately 3.1tri/-, allocated to the region over the four years of her presidency.