In Port News 15/05/2015
Cargo clearance from Dar es Salaam port to Inland Container Depots has almost stalled as trucks are stuck in flooded potholed roads.
“We are desperate, the roads are flooded and trucks can’t get through,” said a frustrated Container Depots Association of Tanzania (CDAT) Chairman, Ashraf Khan.
Mr Khan who is also General Manager of Azam ICD noted that poor infrastructure and heavy rains are stalling progress in cargo clearance from Dar port to ICDs and their final destinations.
He urged authorities to quickly address the problem of flooded roads particularly those connecting ICDs to the country’s prime port.
“If you come to ICDs in the Chang’ombe and Kurasini areas, they are submerged in water, cargo trucks can’t move,” the CDAT Chairman, pointed out.
Khan further noted that impassable roads are delaying cargo clearance hence affecting the efficiency of Dar es Salaam port which targets to reduce cargo clearing time from seven to five days by end this year.
Last month, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Transport, Dr Shabaan Mwinjaka launched a Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Modernisation (DMGM) project, which among other things, seeks to improve infrastructure within the port and its ICDs.
The project which is backed by World Bank and Department for International Development’s 593 million US dollars (over 1.1bn/) soft loan and grant, will see the country’s prime port improve infrastructure and manpower.
Dr Mwinjaka said by 2020, Dar port should be able to handle third generation cargo ships with its main feeder roads. “Some people had fears that the project will take many years to implement but here we are now,” said Dr Mwinjaka.
He urged the private sector to join forces in implementing the ambitious project which also involves modernization of the central railway line and reduction of border barriers.
Tanzania Ports Authority acting Director General, Awadh Masawe said efficiency at Dar port has continued to improve under Big Results Now saying last year cargo handled peaked over 14 million metric tons against a target of 13.5 million tons.
“Our target is to handle 18 million metric tons by 2016/17 season,” Mr Masawe said while pointing out that under phase one of the project, with funding from Trade mark East Africa and TPA, will involve construction of access roads to Gates 5 and 8 to dual carriage ways while demolition of warehouses 2 and 3 will provide over 12,000 square metres of space for a container depot.
