Tanga Port's Transformational Upgrades Boost Revenue

Tanga Port Improvements Yield Positive Results

March 2, 2025

Plasduce Mbossa, the Director General of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), highlighted significant improvements made to Tanga Port, which have greatly enhanced its operational efficiency. Over the past six months, the port has generated revenue of 63 billion Tanzanian shillings, a remarkable achievement, according to Mbossa.

Mbossa shared these details during a briefing to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who visited Tanga Port to inspect the improvements made by the government. The developments were made possible through a substantial investment of 429 billion shillings, which has significantly increased the port's capacity and performance.

Following the major upgrades amounting to 428.8 billion shillings, Tanga Port has seen tangible benefits. In the last six months, TPA has collected more than 63 billion shillings in revenue directly linked to the port's operations.

These figures are separate from the revenue collected by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), which is responsible for tax collection and has also benefited from the port's growth.

Before the improvements, Tanga Port was unable to handle copper shipments. However, the port is now shipping copper, having already exported 46,000 tons. Furthermore, the port’s capacity to handle cargo has risen from 400,000 tons to 1.2 million tons, with revenue growing from 21 billion shillings to 71 billion shillings in the last fiscal year.

TRA's revenue from the port has more than doubled, as larger vessels can now dock at the port, thanks to the acquisition of modern equipment for handling ships. These improvements have enabled direct docking of vessels, further boosting the port’s efficiency.

Looking ahead, the government plans to add an additional 300-meter berth, with private sector partnerships aiming to expand the port by another 600 meters to further enhance its capacity.

“We are aiming to increase the port's capacity to three million tons, and we are committed to linking the port with other economic sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and industry,” Mbossa stated.

The total cost of the ongoing upgrades at Tanga Port is 428.8 billion shillings. The first phase involved a budget of 172 billion shillings, primarily for expanding the ship parking area and purchasing new equipment. The second phase, with a budget of 256.8 billion shillings, has transformed the port, giving it an attractive new appearance that appeals to users and increases cargo throughput.