Demolition of shed two and three at the Dar es Salaam port has been described as a clear testimony of the government’s commitment to boost efficiency of the facility to international standards.

The demolition was part of the implementation of Tanzania’s Big Results Now (BRN), said the acting Director General of the Tanzania Port Authority (TPA), Mr Awadh Massawe, on Wednesday.

“Let me assure domestic and foreign clients of our zeal to offer them best services as days go on,” Mr Massawe told a news conference in Dar es Salaam.

The work is part of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DMGP) phase one which is aimed at modernising the port by improving its physical infrastructure and operational efficiency.

The DMGP project that is financed by the World Bank, UK Department for International Development (DFID) and Trade Mark East Africa (TMA) is being implemented in two phases.

Phase one which is TMA support focuses on enhancing port’s spatial efficiency through demolition and relocation of sheds 2-7, upgrading roads and gates to introduce a single way traffic flow system at the port, improving productivity and operational processes.

The second phase which will be funded by the World Bank and DFID will concentrate on dredging of the channel and basin, strengthening and modernising berths 1-7 and construction of roll on roll off (RoRo) terminal.

The Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Transport, Dr Shaaban Mwinjaka, who officiated at the demolition thanked donors for supporting the project.

“Some thought that BRN works at the port were mere words – we are serious about it,” he said. A total cost of the whole project is valued at USD 585 million.

Mr Massawe said phase one of the project is expected to increase Dar port’s throughput to 18 million tonnes by 2016/2017 and 22 million tonnes by 2020.

The demolition commenced in February, this year and expects to end next month. Demolition of the two sheds will create additional area of 12,000sqm.

The Head of Office at DFID Tanzania, Mr Vel Gnanendran, said the project will provide Dar Port capacity to remain competitive within the region and continue to deliver economic growth year on year.

The Director General of TMA, Mr David Stanton, said Tanzania’s highest economic growth in the region will only be sustained if trade becomes more competitive in region and globally. “Productivity in Dar port is key,” he said.

The Dar es Salaam port serves seven landlocked countries including DRC, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Source: In2 East Africa

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