TANZANIA PORTS AUTHORITY BRINGS SERVICES CLOSER TO BURUNDI

TPA Director General, Engineer Deusdedit Kakoko.

The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has brought its services closer to Burundi by taking several measures, including opening its office in Bujumbura to simplify clearance of cargo destined for the central African country.

The office opened in Bujumbura will also reduce costs that businesspersons have been incurring to travel to Dar es Salaam to inquire about their cargo.

TPA Director General, Engineer Deusdedit Kakoko recently travelled to Burundi where he met government officials, including President Pierre Nkurunziza and head of revenue body Mr Audace Niyonzima.

Other measures taken by TPA to attract cargo from Burundi, include extending cargo clearance grace period for major importers from 14 to 30 days. He also said TPA has opened an account with CRDB bank in Bunjumbura to facilitate bank transactions.

Also in the list of measures include availing a piece of land to keep containerised cargo destined for Burundi at Ruvu in Coast region. According to Engineer Kakoko, a plot measuring 250 width and 500 length would be handed over to Burundi through its embassy in Tanzania.

Engineer Kakoko said TPA was working out a plan so that with effect from next year importers from Burundi and the central corridor in general could receive and clear their cargo in Kigoma instead of being required to travel to Dar es Salaam.

“With effect from next year all cargo destined for Burundi and the central corridor in general would be transported by railway from Dar es Salaam Port to Kigoma. From there importers will be able to pick up their goods to their respective countries,” he said.

Commissioner General of Burundi revenue body (Office Burundais des Recettes- OBR), Mr Audace Niyonzima hailed TPA for improving its services at Dar es Salaam port. The commissioner general showered praise on TPA when he toured TPA this week to reciprocate the visit by Engineer Kakoko to Burundi.

“I congratulate TPA for improving services at Dar es Salaam Port simply because clients now spend a few days to clear and receive their cargo as opposed with the previously days when clients were spending many days,” Mr Niyonzima said.

According to Mr Niyonzima, Burundi was satisfied with the performance of Dar es Salaam port, expressing commitment for their continued use of the port in importing and exporting their goods and products.

A coincidence occurred when Mr Niyonzima toured Dar es Salaam port this week after he found a consignment of coffee from his country being prepared for shipping abroad. Dar es Salaam Port Assistant Manager, Elihuruma Lema informed the commissioner general of TPA’s affirmative action to improve port’s services.

He informed him of the TPA’s Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project that involves the upgrading of the port by constructing Birth 0 for offloading vehicles from ships and upgrading of Births 1-7 to allow ‘Panama size’ container ship to dock.

The upgrading of the port will also involve deepening of the depth to accommodate large ships measuring 400 metres in length, capable of carrying 19,000 containers.

In its strategic plan to improve services, TPA in collaboration with Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) and Tanzania- Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) is implementing various projects, all of which aim at bringing services closer to the Dar es Salaam port clients in the land locked countries.