Tanzania plans to increase cargo train services from the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to tackle congestion at the Dar es Salaam Port, Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said on Monday.

From February 15, the government will add five new cargo trains to transport containers to inland dry ports at Kwala in Coast Region and Ihumwa in Dodoma, supplementing the existing single train that currently moves around 200 containers daily.

Mbarawa, speaking during an inspection of port operations, said the move is part of broader measures to decongest the port following efficiency improvements by operators including DP World and the Tanzania East Africa Gateway Terminal (EAGT).

“The additional trains, alongside infrastructure upgrades, will reduce pressure on the port and support faster cargo movement,” he said. Revenue from port operations has surged to 2.03 trillion Tanzanian shillings annually from 700 billion shillings, reflecting growing throughput.

The government is also finalising the construction of the Kurasini dry port, now 90% complete and expected to open by the end of February. The facility’s first phase will have the capacity to handle 150,000 containers, further relieving congestion at Dar es Salaam Port.

Container handling at the port has risen sharply with private investment, from 800,000 units in 2020 to 1.3 million in 2025, with expectations to reach two million containers in the near term.

Acting Port Director Abeid Gallus said vessel discharge times have been reduced from seven days to three, while berth waiting periods at anchorage have fallen to five days on average.

Elitunu Mallamia, Head of Relations and Operations Coordination at DP World, noted that by January 2026 the company handled 68% more containers than the same period in 2025, with December throughput rising to 94% compared to December 2024.

The upgrades come as Tanzania positions Dar es Salaam Port as a key logistics hub for East Africa, supporting both import-export flows and industrial growth in the region.

Notes to Editors
–       Tanzania is expanding cargo services on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to ease congestion at the Port of Dar es Salaam and improve freight movement to inland dry ports.

–       Five additional cargo trains will begin operations from February 15, transporting containers to Kwala in Coast Region and Ihumwa in Dodoma.

–       Port revenue has increased significantly, rising to 2.03 trillion Tanzanian shillings annually from 700 billion shillings, reflecting higher throughput and operational efficiency.

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