Port of Dar es Salaam – History, Expansion, Cargo, Awards and More

Port of Dar es Salaam – History, Expansion, Cargo, Awards and More

Dar es salaam Port in Which Country Does It Operate?

Tanzania’s main port, Dar es Salaam, is located in Dar es Salaam. The port of Dar es salaam (or Port de Dar es salaam in French) is one of the country’s three ocean ports, and it handles over 90% of the country’s shipments. Based on the survey of the International Association of Ports and Harbors [IAPH], it is the fourth biggest port on Africa’s continent Indian Ocean shoreline, after Mombasa, Maputo, and Durban, according to the International Association of Ports and Harbors[IAPH]. Tanzania and several neighboring landlocked nations use the port for trade and commercial activities.

Dar es salaam port code used locally and internationally is TZDAR

History of the Port of Dar es salaam

Dar es salaam Port Tanzania During Colonial Period

The drawing of port of Dar es salaam, how it look in year 1908
The drawing of port of Dar es salaam, how it look in year 1908

The port of Dar es Salaam gave birth to the city. The Sultan of Zanzibar, Majid Bin Said, began construction in 1862 as an alternate port to the ports of Zanzibar and Bagamoyo, but the project was abandoned following his death. It wasn’t restarted until 1887 when the German East Africa Company began rebuilding the city. The Germans had previously constructed the Usambara Railway from Tanga‘s port and had started work on the new Tanzanian Central Line from Dar es Salaam’s port which is also the new capital.

Following World War I, the British seized Tanganyika and established their capital there. From the late nineteenth century through the twentieth century and the end of World War II, economic activity continuously centered near the city and grew the port of Dar es salaam. The town remained the commercial capital of Tanganyika after it gained independence.

Port of Dar es salaam During Apartheid Time in South Africa

Since the Apartheid South Africa, many landlocked countries in Southern Africa, such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia, have turned to the port of Dar es Salaam for their shipping needs. As a result, the TANZAM highway, TAZARA Railway, and the Malawi Passage link were built. In addition to supplying Zambia with fuel imports, the port serves as a doorway for Zambian copper exports and Malawian tobacco exports.

Present Operations of the Port of Dar es salaam

Port of Dar es salaam has significantly increased its reliance due to steadily growing economies in the region. Since 2003, the port of Dar es Salaam has seen an average annual increase of 10% in cargo traffic due to the city’s rapid growth.

Increasing international scrutiny and condemnation have been directed at the port of Dar es salaam due to its inefficiencies and corruption.

Dar es Salaam Port Expansion Project

Due to the Dar es salaam port congestion, a challenge faced for a longtime, there are currently plans to expand the port for a whopping sum of $421 million. After the completion of the port of Dar es salaam, the number of cars will increase by 268 percent.

The foundation stone for a $20 million inland port in Tanzania was laid in July 2020. Furthermore, the entire work, including the 150m berth, will be completed in 24 months. 80% of the construction is already complete as of July 2020.

The lighthouse at the port of Dar es salaam
The lighthouse at the port of Dar es salaam

Foreign Cargo Centers at the Port of Dar es salaam

The Port of Dar es salaam handles approximately 35% of foreign-owned cargo and grants licenses to countries whose economies rely heavily on the Port of Dar es salaam to run their very own centers. By utilizing the foreign cargo centers, governments can increase efficiency and reduce costs by processing cargo from their respective countries.

MOFED Tanzania Limited at the Dar es Salaam Sea Port

The clearing and forwarding organization MOFED Tanzania limited is owned by the government of Zambia. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) is the government-owned organization in charge of a substantial proportion of Zambian exports and imports. MOFED operates on the TAZARA railway and is based at the Mukuba Depot in South Kurasini.

Malawi Cargo Center Limited

One of the cargo cranes at the port of Dar es salaam
One of the cargo cranes at the port of Dar es salaam

In the early 1990s, the Government of Malawi established the Malawian Cargo Center. The Mozambique Civil War, which shuttered the ports of Beria and Nacala, was to blame.

In Dar es Salaam and Mbeya, the firm has dedicated warehouses and manages dry ports. Fuel headed for Malawi is the MCCL’s principal revenue generator/cargo. Fuel and commodities are packed onto TAZARA trains destined for Mbeya before being transported by truck into Malawi via the Kyela Border.

Tanzania Port Dar es Salaam Awards

In Africa’s twenty-seventh edition of the World Travel Awards, the awardees named the Port of Dar es salaam the Best port in the region.

Where is Dar es Salaam Port?

Dar es salaam port address:

Physical Address: Main Quay Number 1 P O Box 1130, City of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania ; Email Address – pmdsm@tanzaniaports.com, Web address – www.tanzaniaports.com.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Port of Dar es Salaam

  • Dar es salaam Port Ship Schedule
  • Dar es salaam port capacity – About 4.1 million dwt in terms of cargo that is considered dry plus 6.0 million dwt cargo that is in liquid version and bulk.
  • Tanzania second port after Dar es salaam – The port of Tanga

Dar es salaam Port Map

Dar es salaam Port Map
Dar es salaam Port Map

For more articles related to Ports in Tanzania, click here!

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