Tanzania Urges Nation to Utilise Its Port

Justus Lyatuu

27 May 2011

Tanzanian has urged Ugandan traders to utilise the central corridor for the export and import of goods from the coast areas.

The route runs from Dar es Salaam through Mutukula – Masaka and then to Kampala.

Addressing the media during the 9th Uganda Coffee Trade Federation meeting in Kampala on Tuesday, Ms Francisca Muindi, the Tanzania Ports Authority marketing manager said: “The Tanzania government wants Ugandans to use the route as a link rather than an alternative to the Northern corridor that runs from Mombasa, through Busia to Kampala.”

Under utilised

According to Ms Muidi, there is less than 5 per cent Uganda seaborne traffic handled at Dar es Salaam port, which means that the facilities at the port are grossly underutilized.

The port can handle about 10 million tonnes every year and a container terminal that can handle about 310,000 ’20 feet containers.

Other handling services available include general cargo of 3.1 million tonnes, liquid bulk terminals of 6.0 tonnes and a grain terminal that can handle up to 30,000 metric tonnes

The Northern Corridor is the busiest and most important transport route in East and Central Africa, providing a lifeline through Kenya to the landlocked economies of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

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