The World Bank has praised Tanzania’s progress in upgrading the Port of Dar es Salaam, saying the improvements are strengthening trade, cutting logistics bottlenecks and enhancing the country’s role as a gateway to regional markets.
World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Dr Ndiame Diop, made the remarks yesterday after visiting the port to assess the progress of investments supported by the global lender.
The World Bank provided a US$345 million concessional loan for the first phase of the port improvement programme, which has significantly increased the facility’s capacity and efficiency.
Dr Diop, who was accompanied by Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, said the investment had produced visible improvements in port operations and was helping facilitate the movement of goods for Tanzanian businesses and those in neighbouring landlocked countries.
“The World Bank is continuing to explore the possibility of participating in the second phase of improvements at the Port of Dar es Salaam as part of efforts to strengthen trade and transport infrastructure and promote economic growth in East Africa,” Dr Diop said.
Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Director General Plasduce Mbossa said implementation of the project had reached 85 per cent, crediting the World Bank’s financial and technical support for improvements in service delivery and port competitiveness.
The port’s cargo-handling capacity has more than doubled, rising from 14 million tonnes in 2015/16 before the project began to 32.8 million tonnes in 2025/26.
The improvements are aimed at reducing the time ships spend at the port, accelerating cargo loading and unloading and improving the overall business environment.
For importers, exporters and transporters, greater efficiency at the port can translate into faster movement of goods and lower costs associated with delays, while also improving the reliability of Tanzania’s trade routes.
The investment is also significant for Tanzania’s neighbours, with the Port of Dar es Salaam serving as a major entry and exit point for goods destined for DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi.
Dr Diop said improvements at the port should therefore be seen as a regional investment rather than one benefiting Tanzania alone.
“The Port of Dar es Salaam is important not only to Tanzania but also to neighbouring landlocked countries that depend on our infrastructure to transport their goods,” he said.
The increased capacity is expected to strengthen Tanzania’s position in regional trade while supporting businesses that rely on the Central Corridor to access international markets.
Ambassador Omar said the government would continue working with the World Bank and other development partners to improve strategic infrastructure, particularly projects that can facilitate trade, attract investment and connect Tanzania to regional and global markets.
During discussions with Dr Diop earlier in his three-day visit, the minister also discussed plans to strengthen the Central Corridor and transform it from a transport route into a broader economic corridor.
The goal is to use the corridor to support not only cargo movement but also production, investment, trade and job creation.
The Central Corridor is a critical trade route for Tanzania and neighbouring countries that rely on Tanzanian infrastructure to move goods to and from international markets.
With the continued expansion of the Port of Dar es Salaam and improvements along the Central Corridor, Tanzania is seeking to strengthen its position as a regional logistics and trade hub while ensuring that improved infrastructure delivers wider economic benefits to citizens and businesses.
