DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan is scheduled to grace the foundation stone-laying occasion for the construction of 15 oil storage tanks at the Dar es Salaam Port tomorrow, March 3, 2026.
Speaking to journalists today, the Minister for Transport, Makame Mbarawa, said the project is part of the government’s broader strategy to expand and modernise the port to strengthen its position as a key trade gateway for Tanzania and the Indian Ocean region.
Prof Mbarawa said that alongside the construction of the oil storage tanks, the government is also implementing the construction of Berth Number One, which will be 500 metres long and capable of accommodating two vessels simultaneously, each with a carrying capacity of approximately 50,000 tonnes.
Adding, he said the ongoing improvements aim to increase the port’s capacity to handle larger volumes of cargo, reduce vessel congestion and enhance the competitiveness of the Dar es Salaam Port within the Indian Ocean region.
According to Prof Mbarawa, between July and December last year, the Dar es Salaam Port handled a total of 19.99 million tonnes of cargo within six months.
He said the government targets to reach 40 million tonnes of cargo by the end of the 2025/2026 financial year, a move expected to further improve port efficiency and strengthen its contribution to national economic growth.