Tanzania: Tasac to Review Port Entrance Fees

By Bernard Lugongo & Katare Mbashiru

THE Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) is planning to hold a series of meetings with

stakeholders to look at the possibility of reducing fees slapped on people entering different small ports countrywide.

Deputy Minister of Works and Transport, Mwita Waitara said here that the meetings will be conducted before the end of June this year.

"The meetings are expected to bring together all port stakeholders at national level, owners of transport facilities as well as local government authorities," he noted.

He was responding to a question by Erick Shigongo (Buchosa-CCM), who wanted to know when the government would refrain from charging 600/- in fees on people entering ports in his constituency at the expense of investment. According to the deputy minister, the 600/- was provided for in the tariff books of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).

"However, after TPA received complaints from different stakeholders regarding the fees, it has already started to review the said fees by engaging stakeholders from different areas," he said adding: "TASAC hopes that the fees which will be proposed by stakeholders will be announced and they will become effective immediately beginning the new financial year." Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) is a Public Institution established under the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Act No. 14 of 2017.

The Corporation is a body corporate established to Promote and Manage Shipping Agencies and regulate maritime transport in Mainland Tanzania, assuming the rights and responsibilities of Maritime Transport Services which were previously performed by SUMATRA.

Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) was established to provide for the role of maritime administration, regulate maritime sector and facilitate shipping business and carry out shipping agency business.

TASAC has three main strategies related to core functions of the Corporation, to enhance maritime transport services in regulatory role; to improve maritime safety, security and protection of marine environment and shipping business services.