Dar es Salaam. Imeelezwa kutokana na kuanza kazi kwa Kampuni ya DP World katika Bandari ya Dar es Salaam huenda Dola za Marekani 600 milioni (Sh1.62 trilioni) zikaokolewa katika uchumi wa Tanzania, kutokana na kuondolewa kwa tozo ya uchelewaji wa meli.
Fedha hizo zitakazookolewa ni zile Dola za Marekani 1,000 zilizokuwa zikitozwa kwa kila kontena lililokuwa likishushwa katika bandari ya Dar es salaam.
Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Mamlaka ya Usimamizi wa Bandari Tanzania (TPA), Plasduce Mbossa akizungumza leo Jumanne, Agosti 20, 2024 na Mwananchi amesema kwa kawaida meli zilizokuwa zinakuja Dar es Salaam zilikuwa zikitozwa gharama ya msongamano (Peak season) ambayo ilikuwa Dola 1,000 (Sh2.7 milioni) katika kila kontena kwa sababu ya kusubiri kwa muda mrefu mzigo kupakuliwa, lakini sasa imeondolewa.
“Sasa hivi muda wa meli kukaa umepungua sasa kutokana na hilo, wameondoa hiyo tozo mfano wakati unaagiza kontena badala ya kulipa Dola 4,500 sasa hivi utalipa Dola 3,500,” amesema Mbossa.
Mbossa amesema kampuni ya meli ya MSC ndiyo ya kwanza kuondoa tozo hizo na kufanya gharama za meli kwa bandari za Mombasa na Dar es Salaam kuwa sawa: “Hatua hiyo imesababisha kampuni nyingine za meli kuwa katika presha ya kuondoa hiyo Dola 1,000 kama ilivyofanywa na MSC.”
“Ukiangalia kwa mwaka tunahudumia kontena milioni 1.2, sasa ukichukua nusu ya mwaka uliobakia na kuondoa Dola 1,000. Tumeokoa kama nchi kwa sababu leo ukitaka kuagiza mzigo, ili kupata dola lazima ukanunue kwenye maduka ya kubadilisha fedha za kigeni ambao wanazinunua Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT).”
“Kwa hiyo tunachukua akiba yetu ya dola tunakwenda kulipa kampuni za meli, ndiyo maana tunasema fedha iliyookolewa itakuwa Dola milioni 600, lakini pia meli ilikuwa ikisubiria kwa siku 28 sasa imeshuka hadi siku 10,” amesema.
Mbossa amesema hivi sasa meli ya makasha inaaka katika gati siku moja hadi tatu kulingana na mzigo, kisha kuondoka, akisema hatua hiyo imeleta maendeleo makubwa katika utoaji huduma katika bandari ya Dar es Salaam.
Aidha kupungua kwa gharama hizo ni kicheko kwa wafanyabiashara, walaji na Taifa kwa ujumla kwani kupungua kwa gharama za usafirishaji wa mizigo kunachochea ukuaji wa uchumi na kuongeza ajira kwa wananchi, ikiiweka Tanzania katika nafasi ya kuwa lango kuu la kiuchumi Afrika Mashariki.
Mbossa amesema mafanikio hayo yanaimarisha nafasi ya Tanzania kama kitovu cha biashara Afrika Mashariki na Kati, na yanaonyesha uthabiti wa Rais Samia Suluhu Hassan katika kusimamia rasilimali za Taifa kwa manufaa ya Watanzania.
Miongoni mwa masuala ambayo TPA imeyataja kuwa ni mafanikio ya uwepo wa DPW tangu kuanza kazi Mei mwaka huu ni kupungua kwa muda wa kusubiri kwa meli, meli za mizigo ya Kontena na RORO sasa zinaweza kutia nanga mara tu zinapowasili, kuboresha muda wa mzunguko na kupunguza gharama kwa kiasi kikubwa.
Mbossa amesema uendeshaji wa kreni umeboreshwa, na uzalishaji umekuwa ukiongezeka kwa kasi kutoka Mei hadi Julai 2024, na bandari hiyo kufanikiwa kushughulikia meli yake kubwa zaidi.
Vilevile amesema ufanisi huo unaimarisha ushindani wa kianda kwani bandari ya Dar es Salaam sasa inalingana na Mombasa katika ushughulikiaji wa mizigo.
Kuhusu ufanisi wa bandari kwa sasa Wakala wa Usafirishaji wa Mizigo ya Kimataifa wa Ushoroba wa Kati (CCTTFA) ulisema ndani ya muda mfupi DPW imefanya mabadiliko makubwa na kuongeza ufanisi wa bandari ikiwa ni pamoja na kudhibiti eneo la bandari.
“Udhibiti wa eneo la bandari unawafanya wafanyakazi kujikita katika kazi yao hivyo kuokoa muda. Tumeshuhudia. Kuongezeka kwa mashine za kushusha na kupakia mizigo kila mtu sasa amejikita na kazi kongole nyingi sana kwa DP, punde bandari ya Dar es Salaam itakuwa miongoni mwa bandari bora duniani,” ilieleza taarifa yao ya mrejesho.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
Share this news
This Year's Most Read News Stories
Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit
Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.
While Tanzania’s Ministry of Health declared last week that all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg, the WHO called for additional testing at international reference laboratories.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”Amelia Clemence, public health researcher
Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).
“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.
Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.
Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.
The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.
“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.
She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.
“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.
Cross-border transmission
The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.
The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.
Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”
The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.
The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.
Transparency urged
Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.
“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.
The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Source: allafrica.com
Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.
The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.
In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.
Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.
“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”
Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Source: allafrica.com
Zanzibar airport operators decry job losses over Dubai deal
Tanzania air operators say over 600 workers are set to lose their jobs after the semi-autonomous government of Zanzibar awarded a Dubai-based company exclusive rights to handle ground services at a refurbished airport.
The Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa) said in a statement that the contract awarded to Dnata, which is registered at the London Stock Exchange, was in breach of the law banning any company from having exclusive rights to ground-handling services at major airports.Continue Reading
