Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS), the only specialized container terminal operator in Tanzania’s largest sea port, have achieved a monthly record of 54,447 TEUs in August 2018. The last record monthly throughput of 50,400 TEUs was achieved in March 2018. A record of 31,239 gate moves was also recorded.
The volume of local and transit traffic has grown by more than 20 percent over that of August 2017. Transit cargo for some countries increased by more than 45 percent year on year in August 2018.
Chief Executive Officer, Jared Zerbe said, “Landlocked countries have been driving growth for TICTS as a result of significant increases in global commodity prices and the Tanzanian government’s removal of the VAT on ancillary services for transit cargo. Our modern equipment and standards of excellence are helping us handle the volume increase, although, space constraints represent an acute challenge.
Transit containers cannot be transferred outside the port for storage prior to clearance. This leads to very high or maximum yard density at peak times. Also transit cargo dwell time has not decreased, which has led to decreased terminal storage capacity.
To increase efficiency, TICTS has been working with the government to locate alternative storage areas for transit containers. TICTS has also been appealing to the government to allow some transit cargo to be sent outside the port to inland container depots, to find more space within the port, to allow TICTS to buy or rent more space nearby, or to adjust downward the grace period for transit countries to expedite cargo clearance.
“The Tanzania Ports Authority and Tanzania Revenue Authority could also help raise our efficiency by opening a one-stop center in the city for documentary clearance in order to expedite container pick-up. Then it is up to our customers to expedite clearance of their cargo after discharge,” said Zerbe.
