Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has signed a contract with Belgium-based Phaeros group to install a single window electronic system in Tanzania’s ports in order to fast track cargo clearance.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) director, Mr Phares Magesa, said under the agreement TPA will provide euro 5 million (Sh11.1 billion) for the implementation of the project at a pilot stage.

According to him, the pilot project which will be implemented in sea ports will be completed by June this year. After completion of the pilot project, Mr Magesa said, the project will be implemented in other ports and borders.

Upon completion of the project, Tanzania’s ports will have the capacity of clearing 15 million tonnes of cargo by the end of this year. According to him the capacity will increase 18 million tonnes by the end of 2015. Currently, Mr Magesa said Tanzania’s ports have the capacity to clear 13 million tonnes per year.

“Not only will the capacity be increased, but the duel time of cargo will be decreased to less than five days compared to the current nine to eleven days to clear cargo in our ports,” said Mr Magesa.

He further said under the system, clearing agents will feed data electronically instead of doing so manually, which is time consuming.

Implementation of the entire process which includes installing the system in all ports and borders will cost $18 million (Sh28.8 billion), Mr Magesa said.

For his part the chairman of the steering committee Mr Otieno Igogo, said the project was conceived in 2006 by 17 institutions which are Tanzania ports community system stakeholders. “In 2006 we sat down and decided to look for a system that will not only fast track cargo clearance, but which will also be owned by all port community stakeholders,” said Mr Igogo.

For his part, the representative of Phaeros group, Mr Stan de Smet, hailed the signing of the contract as a milestone achievement in the importation and exportation of cargo in Tanzania.

Chairman of the technical committee Mr Jumbe Menye, said installation of the system will give Tanzania an edge in competing with other ports in east and central Africa.

Source: The Citizen

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