COAST REGION: Tanzania is gearing up for a major logistics milestone as President Samia Suluhu Hassan prepares to officially launch the Kwala Dry Port on July 31 in the Coast Region. The move has been met with widespread optimism from economic analysts and logistics stakeholders who say the facility will transform regional trade, decongest the Dar es Salaam Port, and lower haulage costs across East and Central Africa.
A Strategic Boost for Regional Trade
According to Dr Sylvester Jotta, a business expert from Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), the Kwala Dry Port will significantly enhance cargo mobility, increase trade efficiency, and attract investment across various sectors.
“The Kwala Dry Port will deliver critical economic benefits by alleviating congestion at the Dar es Salaam Port. This translates to time savings, reduced operational bottlenecks, and more seamless cargo movement,” said Dr Jotta in an interview with Daily News.
He added that the dry port positions Tanzania as a strategic trade hub by providing efficient clearance services for land-linked countries including the DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Zambia. The port is also expected to generate government revenue through higher tax and customs collections while creating job opportunities in customs, warehousing, freight handling, and logistics.
Environmentally Friendly and Infrastructure-Saving
Dr Hildebrand Shayo, an economist and investment banker, also weighed in on the port’s environmental and infrastructure benefits, particularly its connection to rail transport.
“Each 20-container train can replace about 600 truck trips monthly, with each container averaging 25 tonnes. This shift from road to rail will reduce wear and tear on highways like the Dar–Kibaha corridor,” noted Dr Shayo.
He emphasized that the move to rail would cut down on road maintenance costs, improve safety, and support Tanzania’s ambition to strengthen multimodal transport systems.
He also revealed that Kwala has already been recognized as a strategic dry port in a bilateral agreement between Tanzania and the DRC, further solidifying Tanzania’s role in intra-African commerce. This aligns with the newly launched Tanzania Development Vision 2050, especially in the areas of trade facilitation and revenue growth.
Expanding Logistics Networks and Reducing Congestion
Renowned economist Prof. Humphrey Moshi, Founding Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, highlighted the productivity gains from reduced congestion but stressed the need to expand the national transport network — especially the railways.
He called for improved rural-urban connectivity to ensure smoother logistics from producers to consumers, reinforcing the importance of integrated infrastructure planning.
President Samia to Launch the Facility and SGR Cargo Service
Coast Regional Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Kunenge, confirmed that President Samia will visit the region on July 31 to inaugurate the dry port and officially flag off the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) cargo service from Kwala to Dodoma.
“The President will officially launch the Marshalling Yard at Kwala following successful SGR cargo trials,” he said, adding that the government had made substantial investments in the project to reduce pressure on the Dar es Salaam Port.
Located in Kibaha District, the Kwala Dry Port has the capacity to handle 820 containers per day and up to 300,000 containers annually. It is expected to reduce traffic at the Dar port by 30%, easing the strain on road networks and expediting the movement of goods inland and across borders.
Several countries including Rwanda, Zambia, DRC, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan have already secured space at the facility, with Somalia and Sudan also showing interest.
Additional Milestones at Kwala
During the event, President Samia will also receive 160 new railway wagons for the Central Railway Line, reinforcing Tanzania’s freight transport capacity. Additionally, she is expected to lay foundation stones for seven new factories within the Kwala Industrial Park, marking another step toward industrial development.
“This is an international event, and we expect a large turnout of both local and international guests,” Mr Kunenge noted.
Source: Daily News
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