Makalla salutes DP World investment at Dar Port
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has reported significant gains from DP World’s recent investment at Dar es Salaam Port. In just three months, container traffic surged from 7,151 units in April 2024 to 20,151 by July 2024.
DP World’s $250 million (approximately 675 billion TZS) investment began on April 15, 2024, focusing on berths 0-7, marking a pivotal shift as DP World took over operations from TPA.
During a tour of Dar es Salaam Port on Wednesday, TPA’s Manager of Operations and Coordination, Mr Josephat Lukindo, shared these impressive results with Mr Amos Makalla, the ruling party CCM’s Publicity and Ideology Secretary. Mr Lukindo detailed how the investment was strategically directed to enhance the port’s operations.
“We focused on improving efficiency in crucial areas,” he said.
DP World’s subsidiary, DP World Dar es Salaam, contributed 215 billion TZS towards modernising equipment. This investment included repairing existing machinery and acquiring new assets such as 20 trucks, 31 terminal trailers, seven 10,000 kV generators for power outages and heavy cargo handling cranes.
“Additionally, modern IT systems were installed to replace outdated technology, driving significant technological progress,” Mr Lukindo added.
The impact of these upgrades was immediate.
The number of container ships waiting after docking fell from two to none, bulk carriers from seven to one and mixed cargo ships from 17 to eight within the three-month span.
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“This substantial investment enhances Dar es Salaam Port’s competitiveness against other major African ports, including those in Morocco,” Mr Lukindo observed.
Following his tour, Mr Makalla commended the achievements, countering skeptics of the substantial investment. “Some people resist progress. They criticised the government’s aircraft purchases but now enjoy flying on those planes,” Mr Makalla remarked.
He also mentioned previous opposition to the SGR train investment and the Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Station. Mr. Makalla reaffirmed CCM’s support for President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, especially in advancing the party’s electoral manifesto through critical investments like those in the ports sector. Earlier, TPA Deputy Director General Mr. Juma Kijavara, who represented Director General Mr.
Plasduce Mbossa, highlighted how the recent developments have boosted efficiency and attracted both local and international traders.
“The Dar es Salaam Port is now better positioned to compete globally, offering reliable, high-quality and cost-effective services thanks to this significant investment,” Mr Kijavara said.
Future strategies to enhance the port’s competitiveness include constructing new berths and storage tanks for oil and perishables, such as vegetables, prior to export. TPA is also exploring feasibility studies for a tourist berth with an initial capacity for two million tourists.
Mr Kijavara noted that TPA is focused on leveraging the international market, with South Sudan already expressing interest in using the improved port facilities.
“We are proud to serve a market of approximately 700 million people in East, Central and Southern Africa. We are optimistic that this number will continue to grow,” he concluded.
