Tanzania is leveraging strong transport and power infrastructure at the planned Bagamoyo Eco Maritime City (BEMC) to attract investors and support its long-term industrialisation strategy.
Located about 50 km north of Dar es Salaam, BEMC is accessible via the Bagamoyo Road and planned rail links.
The area, according to Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), is adjacent to proposed energy infrastructure, including a mega power substation and gas facilities, as well as a railway connecting the future Bagamoyo Port with the Central Railway Line, covering both the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and Meter Gauge Railway (MGR), and the Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).
Power and water services are currently available, with capacity set to expand in line with industrial demand. BEMC will also connect by road and rail to the proposed Kwala City and Kwala Dry Port, strengthening inland logistics.
Through these links, the corridor will access regional and international markets via the seaports of Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Mtwara, Julius Nyerere International Airport, and major national road and rail corridors.
The recent commissioning of electricity generation at the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project has increased national grid capacity, improving prospects for energy-intensive industrial investment.
At the heart of BEMC is the planned deep-sea port at Mbegani, with government and media sources estimating the total investment at around $10 billion, including related logistics and industrial infrastructure.
The first phase of port construction is expected to start later this year, with up to 28 berths planned over time.
Officials say the integrated transport and power network positions BEMC as a potential regional trade and manufacturing hub. However, success will depend on timely project implementation and investor uptake.
BEMC forms part of Tanzania’s Dira 2050 development vision, which aims to transform the country into a regional transport, logistics and industrial hub while promoting export-led growth and job creation. The flagship deep-sea port at Mbegani is intended to serve as the primary gateway for international and intra-African trade along the eastern seaboard by 2050.