Port of Dar es Salaam expands role in East African trade

The Port of Dar es Salaam is experiencing significant operational improvements and increased trade volumes, positioning it as a vital maritime gateway for East and Central Africa. According to the World Bank’s 2025 Container Port Performance Index, the port’s efficiency has improved drastically, with container ship turnaround times dropping from over 300 hours to less than 28 hours following the arrival of DP World operations in April 2024. Cargo volumes handled reached 33.7 million tonnes for the 2025/26 fiscal year, up from 27.7 million the previous year.

To further leverage this growth, Egypt and Tanzania have entered discussions to develop a multimodal transport corridor. This initiative aims to link Egypt’s Red Sea ports, such as Sokhna and Safaga, to Dar es Salaam via regular maritime links and integrated railway networks. The proposed partnership includes the development of a multipurpose terminal in Dar es Salaam through an Egyptian-Tanzanian consortium.

The corridor would provide Egyptian exporters access to seven landlocked markets, including Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This strategic move follows a rise in Egypt’s trade with African Union countries, which reached US$6.1 billion in the first seven months of 2026.