A FRESH attempt to impose a ban on substandard cargo trucks from entering Dar es Salaam port by mid next month has been announced by the Port Manager, Mr Awadh Massawe.

In a widely circulated announcement on Wednesday, Mr Massawe said effective February 12, this year, Dar es Salaam port will start inspecting all trucks entering its premises in order to identify defective vehicles and refuse them entry.

“It has been observed that most of the accidents caused by trucks in and out of Dar es Salaam port are due to various faults on these vehicles and incompetence or negligence of drivers’ at large,” said Mr Massawe.

This is the second time in the past two years or so for TPA to seek banning junk cargo trucks entry into the country’s prime port. In February 2013, TPA’s attempt to ban the trucks was frustrated following threats by trucks owners to take court action.

In the announcement, Massawe said the inspection exercise will involve important features such as brakes, tyres, brakes, fire extinguishers and reflective triangles among many others.

“You are notified further only accredited and licensed drivers will be permitted to drive into port premises and shall always wear appropriate personal protective gear and observe speed limit of 20km per hour,” it stated.

Traffic Police Chief, Mr Mohamed Mpinga and the then Tanzania Truck Owners Association Secretary General, Mr Zakaria Hans Poppe supported TPA’s move although substandard truck owners warned that as per regulations TPA has no such powers by Traffic Police and Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority.

TPA’s ban followed an agreement by Dar port’s stakeholders to get rid of junk cargo trucks in 2012 when a year of grace period was given to February 2013.

“Consumers should expect a slight price increase in our services because the quality of our trucks will improve very much,” said Mr Poppe who pointed out that junk trucks are not only an eye sore but also a security threat.

It is estimated that 90 per cent of cargo from Dar port to inland container depots and adjacent areas is transport junk trucks most of which are not roadworthy although owners argue that they have been sanctioned by Traffic Police Force and Sumatra.

With capacity of 3.1 million tons for general cargo, one million metric tons and six million tons of liquid bulk serves seven landlocked countries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.

Source: All Africa

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