Tanzania targets economic boost with launch of Kwala Inland Port

Dar es Salaam. The newly launched Kwala Inland Dry Port is expected to significantly cut transport costs and time, ease congestion in Dar es Salaam and stimulate economic development in surrounding areas, the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has said.

Speaking during the official inauguration of the facility by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday, TPA Director General Plasduce Mbossa said the port was of a strategic importance as a cargo handling and storage hub that complements the Dar es Salaam Port.

“The core goal is to decongest Dar es Salaam, reduce logistics costs and stimulate economic activity across the Coast Region and the country at large,” Mr Mbossa said.

Spanning 502 hectares, which is five times larger than the Dar es Salaam port, the Kwala facility has already cleared 120 hectares and fenced 60 hectares with a 2.9-kilometre perimeter. Five hectares have been paved, enabling the port to handle up to 3,500 containers at once, or 5,000 if containers are stacked three-high.

According to Mr Mbossa, the dry port currently processes 821 containers per day, while the Dar es Salaam port handles around 2,500. The new facility also incorporates a strong regional dimension, with designated spaces for landlocked neighbouring countries.

“Burundi has begun fencing its allocated plot. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been given 45,000 square metres, Zambia 20,000 and other neighbouring countries at least 10,000 square metres each. These may be expanded depending on demand,” he said.

The Kwala Inland Dry Port is already connected to the standard gauge railway (SGR), which is operational and to the Morogoro highway via a 15-kilometre concrete road. Future plans include links to the Bagamoyo Port, the Tanga narrow-gauge railway line and the Tazara corridor, 30 kilometres away, positioning Kwala as a central logistics hub.

“Our aim is to have all cargo processed here. Movements from Kwala to the main Dar es Salaam port will be managed by operators in collaboration with TRC [Tanzania Railways Corporation] and TPA to ensure a seamless flow,” Mr Mbossa said.

Currently, two trains serve the port daily, each with 20 wagons transporting 40 containers. The port is already handling long-stay containers from Dar es Salaam and has begun processing new cargo bound for the DRC.

“We will soon begin clearing all transit cargo here,” Mr Mbossa noted. “Designated areas have also been allocated for private port operators and inland container depots (ICDs).”

Provisions have also been made for cold storage facilities, agriculture-related warehousing, and Container Freight Station (CFS) operations. Offices and workshops for stakeholders including TRA, TBS, and other regulatory agencies are already operational on site.

He said that the direct clearance of cargo bound for the DRC from Kwala, rather than via the Dar port, will dramatically shorten delivery times.

“Truck transportation from Kwala to Dar can take between eight and fourteen days. This inland port reduces delays and boosts efficiency,” Mr Mbossa said.

Additional infrastructure development is ongoing, including the 60-hectare section with railway access and secure fencing. Temporary offices are in use, and structured parking is being aligned with the facility’s growing cargo throughput.

“It is our long-term vision to continue expanding this port so that it accommodates all necessary infrastructure for a fully operational inland logistics centre,” he said.