TANZANIA’S Lake Nyasa ports are thriving and growing, with an impressive throughput well above projections.
The terminals are defying the odds, handling higher than projected cargo volumes while ferrying many passengers in the current fiscal year.
The ports have exceeded their targeted volume by 149 per cent after handling 28,149.91 tonnes against 11,300 tonnes projected for 2022/2023, as per statistics collected between July 2022 and February 2023.
Lake Nyasa hosts at least 15 major and small ports which are operated by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) but the major ports are Kiwira and Ndumbi, the newly-constructed terminal which is yet to go full throttle.
The newest and fastest growing transshipment hub in southern highland regions and the neighbouring nations of Malawi and Mozambique, served a record number of 32,557 passengers during the first opening eight months of the current fiscal year, equivalent to 74 per cent increase from the annual projection of 18,700.
TPA Manager in Charge of Lake Nyasa ports, Mr Manga Gassaya said the achievement was a reflection of TPA and government’s resolve to develop the country’s port sector.
“This is a massive leap,” said Mr Gassaya, as he reflected on TPA’s exceeding its annual targets for Lake Nyasa ports four months before the end of the current fiscal year.
“These achievements have been recorded in just eight months against the targets set for the entire 2020/2023 financial year,” he explained.
He attributed TPA’s gains to a huge support the Authority has been receiving from the government, including renovation and development of port infrastructures and acquisition of modern equipment such as modern vessels.
Currently, the TPA operates two cargo vessels, MV Njombe and MV Ruvuma, each with 1000 tonnes capacity and one passenger and cargo vessel, MV Mbeya II with the capacity to carry 200 passengers and 200 tonnes of cargo.
“Thanks to investment channeled towards improving Lake Nyasa ports, our terminals have continued to attract customers and this is why the volume of cargo handled between July 2022 and February 2023 has tremendously surpassed the initial annual projections,” added Mr Gassaya.
Apart from the huge investment in port infrastructures and equipment, Gassaya said the TPA continues to search for new customers and markets.
Between February and March, this year, the TPA held successful talks with five customers, of which one of the customers expressed interest in exporting 20,000 tonnes of coal from Ruvuma to India through Kiwira and Mtwara ports.
According to Mr Gassaya, another customer has promised to export 6000 tonnes of coal from Ruvuma through Ndumbi and Kiwira ports to Mbeya Cement.
“Our expectation is to handle at least 10,000 tonnes of cargo every month, starting July 2023,” he said.
