May 09, 2017: In a bid to reduce dwell time and increase competitiveness, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has directed government institutions at the Dar es Salaam Port to operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week (24/7).

The Prime Minister said during the 10th Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) meeting that all government institutions including Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) should reschedule their working hours to enable the port operate 24/7.

The directive came in response to complaints of inefficiency at the Dar es Salaam Port, where dwell time is between 10-13 days. The port’s closest rival, Mombasa Port has dwell time of 3-4 days reportedly.

The Port of Dar es Salaam is the principal port serving Tanzania. According to the International Association of Ports and Harbours, it is the fourth largest port on the African continent’s Indian Ocean coastline after Durban, Mombasa and Maputo.
The port acts as a gateway for commerce and trade for Tanzania and numerous bordering landlocked states.

Source: Logistics Update Africa

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