TANGA: THE Tanga Port has continued to handle a considerable volume of cargo, with the first quarter of the current fiscal year alone registering a total of 333,643 metric tonnes.
This amount surpasses by 17 per cent the entire set target for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, which is 283,223 metric tonnes, according to Tanga Port Manager Masoud Mrisha.
This achievement is part of the port’s 429bn/- infrastructure upgrade project. The upgrade included increasing the depth for ships to dock and turn, renovating and constructing new berths and purchasing new cargo handling equipment.
Furthermore, Mr Mrisha noted that in the last fiscal year (2023/2024), the port handled about 1.19 million metric tonnes of cargo, a significant increase from 890,901 metric tonnes in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
He said the rise in cargo volume at the port, which spans a total area of 17 hectares, has prompted the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to allocate 174 hectares for a new dry port in Mwambani to complement the Tanga Port in terms of cargo storage.
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The Mwambani Dry Port, located about six kilometres from the Tanga Port, has already utilised 50,000 square metres to store containerised cargo. This section of the dry port has a capacity to accommodate 1,500 cars at a time, with 1,525 cars recorded between September and this month.
“We are now planning to resurface the dry port with pavement to bolster its capacity to handle heavier cargo. We expect to continue retaining existing customers while attracting new ones. The infrastructure upgrade has guaranteed customer satisfaction,” Mr Mrisha said.
He added, “Currently, we have no issues regarding cargo storage.” The port’s turnaround time has also been reduced to three days, ensuring timely service delivery for all customers.
Mr Mrisha commended the government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for allocating the funds necessary for the improvement of the Tanga Port.
