New Ships & Port Upgrades Transform Lake Tanganyika Trade

President Samia Suluhu Hassan launched four new cargo ships and upgrades to the Kigoma Port in Tanzania, aiming to boost trade between Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The improvements include construction of a new cargo and passenger dock, dredging to increase water depth, and an agreement with Zijin Mining Group to develop transport links from mines in the DRC to the port.

The project will increase the capacity of the Kigoma Port from 800,000 to 2 million tons of cargo annually. Each of the new vessels can carry 2,000 tons of cargo per trip and are 70 meters long and 15 meters wide. The Tanzanian Port Authority plans to build two additional ships, while the Tanzania Shipping Agency Corporation is expanding domestic shipbuilding capacity.

The upgrades are expected to open a new trade route for the DRC, facilitating mineral exports to international markets via Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port instead of the traditional Tunduma border crossing. Completion of the port improvements is expected by 2027.