TANGA: THE Tanga Port has surpassed its revenue collection target for the first quarter of the 2024/25 fiscal year, amassing 18.6bn/- against a set goal of 11bn/-.
This achievement represents a significant leap, exceeding the total revenue of 16bn/- collected during the entire 2019/2020 fiscal year.
According to the Chief Government Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Mr Gerson Msigwa, the remarkable performance is attributed to the government’s substantial investment of over 429bn/- in two phases to modernise the port.
He said the upgrades have enhanced the port’s capacity to handle larger volumes of cargo and accommodate vessels of varying sizes.
“The improvements have positioned Tanga Port as a key regional hub, enabling it to handle goods that were previously transported through other routes,” Mr Msigwa said.
He said the key commodities now passing through the port include 33,000 tonnes of copper, 41,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and 100,004 tonnes of sulphur, marking a significant expansion in its operational capacity.
Mr Msigwa further said that the government’s investment in Tanga Port aligns with its broader economic goals of boosting trade and maximising revenue collection, adding that the port’s modernisation efforts are expected to continue driving growth and solidifying further its role in facilitating regional commerce.
Recently, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that the expansion of Tanga Port is part of Tanzania’s strategy to increase its capacity to handle larger ships, attract more vessels and boost the amount of cargo it handles. She said the upgrades have already led to a more than 100 per cent rise in both ship traffic and revenue at the port.
“This project is already delivering results, with significant growth in operations,” President Samia stated in her official X handle.
President Samia added that the government remains dedicated to enhancing infrastructure across the country to ensure Tanzania fully benefits from its natural resources. Acting Manager of Tanga Port, Mr Donald Gaile, said the expansion is divided into two phases.
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The first phase, which cost 172.136bn/- included dredging the entrance channel and the berth to accommodate larger vessels.
Mr Gaile said they currently work towards achieving the government’s and the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA)’s goal for Tanga marine terminal to become Tanzania’s second-largest port after Dar es Salaam.
“Tanga Port has a long history, being the first built in 1891 during German East Africa, but over time, its performance weakened. Ships used to anchor two kilometres away due to the shallow berth at the two docking areas here,” Mr Gaile said.
He added: “Previously, ships had to offload cargo away from the pier, resulting in additional costs. Now, with the improved infrastructure, ships can dock directly at the pier, significantly reducing cargo handling expenses.”
Moreover, the project is expected to improve the livelihoods of local residents through job creation and increase in revenue for TPA.
The implementation of the second phase of the project involved construction of new 450-metre-long berths at a cost of 256.8bn/-.
“So far, Tanga Port has served approximately 19 large ships from different countries around the world, carrying cargo of over 100,000 tonnes,” said Mr Gaile.
He elaborated further that significant improvements made at the port have convinced large and modern ships that previously used competing ports in neighbouring countries to start bringing their ships to Tanga Port. Tanga Port is one of the three major ports managed by TPA in the Indian Ocean Corridor.
The other ports in the corridor are Dar es Salaam Port, which is the main port and Mtwara Port.
TPA has reported an impressive revenue collection of 18bn/- during the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year at Tanga Port, largely attributed to the arrival of 11 ships.
Notably, 44.4 per cent of the revenue came from vessels belonging to Sea Front Shipping Services Company, underscoring their significant contribution to the port’s performance.
During the period under review, Tanga Port handled a total of 333,718 tonnes of cargo, exceeding its target of 283,290 tonnes by 17 per cent.
