Imported vehicles await clearance at Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania. Used vehicles imported into the country will from March 1 this year be inspected at the port. PHOTO | FILE
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Bureau of Standard (TBS) has on Thursday January 21 said the decision to start inspection of imported vehicles at the Dar es Salaam Port Yards will not interfere with the offloading process.
According to TBS they have a procedure that will see the vehicles offloaded normally and taken to four separate yards for clearing by clearing agents then inspected before they can be released.
TBS Director of Quality Control Lazaro Msasalaga said imported vehicles will as of March 1, this year, be inspected upon arrival at the Dar es Salaam Port.
“All vehicles that will be imported as of March 1, this year, will be required to be inspected upon arrival at the Dar es Salaam Port before they can be released,” he said.
TBS inspection used imported vehicles in 2002 by agents who were acquired through a tender process.
According to him TBS had agents Dubai and three from Japan whose contracts will be concluded soon.
He said saloon cars will be taken to Kitopeni yard and Roll in and Roll out Yards, while large vehicles will be taken to copper and lighter yard.
He said inspection certificates that will be issued by the said agents on cars that will be imported into the country with effect from March 1, will not be recognized by TBS.
“Any vehicles that will be inspected at the Port and seen not to comply with the requirements will have to undergo maintenance outside the Ports and taken for inspection at UDA yard adjacent to the Ports before it can be allowed on the roads," he said.
According to him, they will ensure that all used cars imported into the country meet and comply with requirements before they can be allowed on the roads.
Explaining about the decision, he said that they have built capacity of their inspectors and it was about time they started practicing what they have been trained for.
“We have not terminated the contracts of our hired agents but their three year term has ended and we thought it prudent to start using our own inspectors,” he said.
According to him, the decision to use own inspectors will ensure garages that operate in the country get business and at the same time the government get revenues from the said business.
Further he noted that the business of maintaining vehicles will obviously create employment for Tanzanians who will also gain experience in such works.
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