Dar es Salaam port trade and infrastructure expansion

The Port of Dar es Salaam has seen significant growth in transit cargo and operational efficiency. During the 2025/26 financial year, transit traffic rose by 17% to 14.61 million tonnes, largely driven by a 30% increase in shipments to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Subsequent reports indicate even broader growth, with total cargo volumes reaching 33.7 million tonnes in the 2025/26 fiscal year. Operational efficiency has improved markedly, with container ship turnaround times dropping from over 300 hours to less than 28 hours following the commencement of DP World operations in April 2024.

Building on discussions regarding a multimodal transport corridor, Tanzania and Egypt are now advancing a strategic partnership to enhance connectivity between Egypt, East Africa, and Central Africa. Transport Ministers Kamel El-Wazir and Makame Mbarawa have discussed establishing an Egyptian-Tanzanian international consortium to develop a multipurpose terminal at the Port of Dar es Salaam. This cooperation includes creating a new shipping route connecting Egypt’s Red Sea ports, Sokhna and Safaga, with Dar es Salaam, alongside the creation of reciprocal logistics zones and the integration of maritime, road, and rail networks.

In a related regional development, maritime ministers from the Maritime Organisation for Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa (MOESNA) met in Dar es Salaam to discuss a regional cabotage protocol. This proposal seeks to establish a legal and commercial framework allowing African-owned or African-based operators to capture a larger share of regional shipping traffic, aiming to retain more freight revenue within African economies.