The grant comes in addition to the approval of a $345 million credit for the new Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DSMGP), which will also allow the port to improve waiting times at berth.
“Improvement of the port’s infrastructure is long overdue,” said Deusdedit Kakoko, director general of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA). “We have been performing rather optimally, yet under very difficult conditions.”
He pointed out that the institutional strengthening component will allow the TPA to build for future private sector participation in the country’s port operations.
The DSMGP has two main components. Firstly, to improve the physical infrastructure at the port with the construction of a new multipurpose berth at Gerezani Creek.
Secondly, to deepen and widen the entrance channel and turning basin at the port and improve its rail offering.
The Government of Tanzania is contributing $63 million through TPA, while the UK, through its Department for International Development (DFID) is also contributing a $12 million grant.
Dar es Salaam handled 13.8 million tonnes in 2016, reflecting an average growth of 9% per year over the last five years. Projections for the long term suggest the port’s volumes could double to 38 million tonnes by 2030.
