TANZANIA Ports Authority (TPA) has bought four heavy-duty cranes at a cost of more than €100 million to improve service at the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam.
TPA has acquired four 100-tonne mobile cranes at a cost of €104 million.

In addition, private container terminal operator Tanzania International Container Services plans to buy two ship-to-shore and seven rubber-tyred gantry cranes by the end of September this year.
The TPA measures have seen clearance of cargo at Dar es Salaam port improve and dwell time reduce from 20 days in 2008 to eight to date.

TPA acting corporate communications manager Janeth Ruzangi said in a statement issued in Lusaka last week that the port is now operating on a 24-hour basis to ease trading.
“In a bid to provide efficiency and timely services, TPA has embarked on various measures to improve services at its principle port of Dar es Salaam where services are now rendered 24/7 by almost all service providers in the port,” she said.

TPA has also installed an advanced communication system at the harbour, resulting in the reduction of docking days from 15 in 2008 to three todate.
Mrs Ruzangi said this development has enhanced vessel and cargo clearing at the harbour.
The harbour authorities hope that the various measures that have been put in place will increase efficiency and reduce the cost of doing business for traders.

Source URL: Zambia Daily Mail

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TradeMark Africa.