Bagamoyo Port set to start operations by 2020

KATARE MBASHIRU in Dodoma

Bagamoyo Port

THE much anticipated Bagamoyo Port that is expected to boost the country’s economy and attract big investments in the country is expected to kick off operations between 2020 and 2021, Deputy Minister for Trade, Industries and Investment, Engineer Stella Manyanya has confirmed.

Eng Manyanya who was addressing a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industries, Trade and Environment in Dodoma yesterday said the 6.9bn/- project for a modern port was being carried out through a collaboration of China and Oman, expressing optimism that over 190 industries will be constructed on the Bagamoyo area, including the manure processing industry that will be put up by the government of Oman.

At a committee meeting led by Mvomero MP, Suleiman Sadiq, the deputy minister said when the port becomes operational, it will attract more investors who will equally help the country to attain its industrial economy agenda, currently being propagated by the fifth phase government.

Eng Manyanya who was appointed by president John Magufuli as deputy minister in the ministry in the recent cabinet reshuffle told the committee that the 6.9bn/- project was being carried out by the Chinese based company— Merchants Holdings International Company Limited (MHICL), and State General Reserve of Oman.

On February 16 this year, the then Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Lu Youqing, said the Bagamoyo project would turn Bagamoyo into Shenzhen, a city in China which was transformed into a Special Economic Zone area.

Dr Youqing noted that MHICL, which is implementing the Bagamoyo project, developed Shenzhen. He further said that Tanzania had attached great importance to the Bagamoyo project which is a joint project of Tanzania, China and Oman.

“The government of Tanzania has attached great importance to the Bagamoyo Port and adjacent Industrial Park, and it has listed it in the second five-year national development plan.

“This is a mega project, it is a huge work to turn Bagamoyo into Shenzhen of Tanzania,” he explained, noting that the Chinese developer wanted to implement the project in phases. “With regard to the port, the three parties have reached a general consensus on construction and operation of the port. The port consists of eight kilometres Port Zone and a logistics centre... there will be dredging water channels to the port,” he explained.

According to the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) statistics, by the end of June 2016, Chinese investment in Tanzania had reached 6.62 billion US dollars, with about 600 Chinese companies operating in Tanzania.

Oman on the other hand, has had profitable diplomatic relations with Tanzania, investing in various projects including that of Bagamoyo. “The strategy that we have in our government is that by 2020, the Bagamoyo Port should start offering services and it will be receiving big cargo vessels.

Oman will offer a good assistance to our government in helping our people in the country,’’ said the deputy minister yesterday.

Eng Manyanya was quick to point out that by 2025, Tanzania would realise its industrial economy agenda, insisting that the Bagamoyo port would similarly put up proper infrastructure, including roads and electricity, adding that even the gas pipeline would cross over the port.