Dar es Salaam Port Improves Ranking in World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index, Challenges Remain

The Dar es Salaam Port has improved its ranking in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI). In 2022, the port ranked 361st out of 386 ports. In 2023, the port ranked 312th out of 348 ports.

The improvement in the ranking of the Dar es Salaam Port is due to a number of factors, including:

• The completion of the USD 2.9 billion expansion project, which increased the port’s capacity by 50%.
• The introduction of new technology, such as electronic data interchange (EDI), which has improved the efficiency of the port.
• The improvement of the port’s governance, which has reduced corruption and inefficiency.

However, the report stress that “Despite the significant improvement in operational conditions at global ports following the unprecedented levels of disruption triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still room for efficiency gains. Further digitalization of port processes and modernization of port infrastructure would improve productivity, customer service and emissions reductions.”

The port of Dar es Salaam still faces a number of challenges, including:

• Traffic congestion: The port is located in a congested area, which makes it difficult to move goods in and out of the port.
• Lack of skilled labor: The port does not have enough skilled workers to handle the growing volume of traffic.
• Corruption: There is still some corruption in the port, which can lead to delays and inefficiencies.

For his “the government of Tanzania and the private sector need to work together to address these challenges. If they are successful, the Dar es Salaam Port can become a regional hub for trade and commerce,” the report concludes.

The Dar es Salaam Port is the largest and busiest port in Tanzania. It handles about 90% of the country’s trade. The port is located on the Indian Ocean coast, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the city of Dar es Salaam.