Tanzania: Lake Tanganyika Ports' Revenue to 'Reach Fourfold'

Photo: The Citizen Lake Tanganyika
By Bernard Lugongo

Lake Tanganyika ports may shoot up to fourfold from the next four years, as the ports eye a big share in handling lithium mineral cargo set for extraction in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

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Speaking during an interview with the 'Daily News' yesterday, Kigoma Port Manager, Ajuaye Msese, who is also managing all Lake Tanganyika ports, said to start with they expected to handle 500,000 tonnes of lithium per year after mining was expected to start in DRC in the near future.

"As in the last financial year the ports collected 6bn/- after handling 200,000 tonnes, I believe lithium cargo will make cargo handling at the Lake Tanganyika ports shoot up to 800,000 tonnes in the next four years, thus making revenue collection reach about 20bn/-," he said.

He explained that the ports' future was promising due to ongoing ports' improvement and railway infrastructure linking the ports with economic activities in neighbouring countries.

For his part, Kigoma Station Master Ally Shamte told the 'Daily News' that the railway line would play a big role in feeding Kigoma Port with cargo from Dar es Salaam Port to neighbouring countries.

He said Kigoma Railway Station planned to handle the envisaged increase in cargo at Kigoma Port because the government was implementing a major project to upgrade the central railway line that connected Dar es Salaam- Mwanza-Kigoma to a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

This is due to ongoing efforts of connecting Lake Tanganyika ports that link Tanzania with neighbouring countries, thus raising hopes for Dar es Salaam and Tanga ports for exporting to and importing cargo from abroad.

Lake Tanganyika ports' efficiency will thus boost the growth of Dar es Salaam Port and Tanga Port because cargo to and from the two ports, destined for DRC, Burundi and Zambia would be ferried on Lake Tanganyika.

The Lake Tanganyika ports link DRC, Zambia and Burundi, which share Lake Tanganyika with Tanzania. United States Geological Survey estimates that DRC has 1 million tonnes of lithium resources and Manono Lithium Project in the country has confirmed its status as the world's largest hard rock lithium deposits.

Kigoma Port is headquarters of all ports along Lake Tanganyika. Some of the ports under it include Kasanga in Rukwa, which serves countries like DRC. An upward revenue collection trend from the ports is promising. Taking the figures of five years ago, the ports collected 1.5bn/-, which then shot up to 2bn/- and to 3bn/- during the two consecutive years.

In the last fiscal year, the ports collected 6bn/-, an increase from 4bn/- earned during the previous year. The government has in place plans to develop the Lake Tanganyika ports and has been setting aside funds for the purpose, including purchasing new equipment