President Samia Launches Kwala Dry Port and SGR Rail Freight Service

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially launched the Kwala Dry Port in Kibaha District, Coast Region, on 31 July 2025, and directed the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to begin full provision of dry port services at the site starting 4 August 2025.

She also inaugurated the electric freight train operations on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma as part of a national strategy to improve logistics efficiency and lower transport costs.

The Kwala Dry Port, also referred to as the Kwala International Logistics Centre, is located approximately 90–105 km from Dar es Salaam and is designed to ease cargo congestion at the main port and within the city.

The facility currently handles about 820 containers per day with an annual capacity of 300,000 containers.

Built on over 1,000 hectares, the dry port is connected to the Dar es Salaam–Morogoro highway by concrete road and is linked by rail to the SGR network.

Phase one of the port covers five hectares, and phase two is under development to expand handling capacity.

The dry port is expected to absorb up to 30% of the cargo currently processed at Dar es Salaam Port, facilitating faster clearance and transportation for both local and transit goods.

It is part of Tanzania’s broader plan to become a regional logistics and trade hub for East and Central Africa.

At the launch, operating procedures were signed between the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), DP World—operator of several berths at Dar es Salaam Port under a 30-year concession—and other stakeholders, to regulate the transfer, handling, and processing of cargo between Dar es Salaam Port and the Kwala Dry Port.

The SGR freight service, launched on the same day, operates electric trains capable of speeds up to 120 km/h. The first commercial service began on 27 June 2025, following trials completed earlier in the year. The service currently runs between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma and is expected to gradually expand as more SGR sections are completed.

To support freight operations, the government has invested TZS 330.2 billion in the procurement of 1,430 new wagons from China’s CRRC Qiqihar, including 200 container wagons and 64 wagons for bulk goods. These were approved by regulators after successful test runs in March 2025.

In addition to the dry port and freight rail launch, President Samia laid the foundation stone for the Kwala Industrial Park, adjacent to the port. The industrial zone is planned to accommodate 200 factories once complete, with seven already operational and five under construction.

The government projects the industrial park will create 50,000 direct and 150,000 indirect jobs. President Samia encouraged Tanzanians, especially those in Coast Region, to take advantage of employment and business opportunities emerging from the project.

President Samia stated that the Kwala Dry Port will improve cargo movement for land-linked countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, and Malawi, thereby increasing the competitiveness of Dar es Salaam Port in the region.

She emphasized the strategic role of these developments in preparing Tanzania for full participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).