How DRC crowded Zambia out of Dar port?

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) bypassed Zambia to become the leading transit market for Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port, with cargo throughput increasing to 27.7 million tonnes in the 2024/25 financial year.

This is a 17 percent increase from 23.69 million tonnes handled in the previous year.

Data released by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) this week indicated that cargo destined for DRC doubled, from 2,953,234 tonnes in the 2023/24 fiscal year to 5,995,293 tonnes in the last financial year.

But cargo destined for Zambia, which had been Tanzania's top transit market, rose to 3.5 million tonnes from 2,248,505 tonnes in the period under review. Rwanda-bound cargo was 1.7 million tonnes.

The rise in Congo-bound cargo is attributed to Tanzania’s investment in dry ports, which are serving as logistics hubs for cargo arriving at Dar es Salaam port destined for the DRC.

DRC cargo through the port of Mombasa has stagnated at about 1.5 million tonnes since 2022, as Dar es Salaam continues to enhance its competitive edge to attract more cargo through the Central Corridor.

The development of dry ports decentralised services traditionally handled at the main port, with customs operations, warehousing, and cargo clearance services, being relocated closer to the border and the DRC’s economic zones, has benefited businesses by reducing turnaround times, lowering freight costs, and more predictable logistics timelines, TPA says in its report.

TPA lauds improved infrastructure, including the standard gauge railway (SGR), for the increased regional trade efficiency for countries such as Zambia, Rwanda, and the DRC.

Tanzania East Africa Gateway Terminal Ltd, operating berths 8 to 11, has reported increased monthly throughput to as many as 75,000 containers.

To manage the increased flow of cargo, the TPA says it is expanding its inland logistics capacity. The Kwala Inland Container Depot, linked to the port by rail, is designed to handle 300,000 containers annually, representing 30 percent of Dar es Salaam’s container traffic and aiming to ease congestion at the port.

According to the report, in Mtwara, a new 300-metre berth, hardstand yards, and warehouse upgrades have lifted throughput from 592,000 tonnes in 2021/22 to 2.58 million tonnes in 2024/25, while the second phase of Tanza port’s upgrade has doubled its capacity from 500,000 tonnes to 1.29 million tonnes a year.

TPA’s operations coordination manager, Josephat Lukindo, said the authority is targeting a throughput of 54.59 million tonnes in the next five years.