DP World has signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to operate and modernise the multi-purpose Dar es Salaam Port, connecting Tanzania and the wider region to global markets. 

The concession agreement was signed between Plasduce Mkeli Mbossa, director general of the TPA and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World, in the presence of H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of the United Republic of Tanzania. 

The announcement noted that the concession to operate and modernise the Dar es Salaam Port was awarded to DP World with the primary objective of optimising the Port’s operations to improve transport and logistics services throughout Tanzania and its hinterland.

"This is the first phase of a multi-phase investment plan," DP World said.

It added that DP World will initially invest more than US$250 million to upgrade the port, and the investment could increase to US$1 billion during the concession period, alongside hinterland logistics projects.

"This investment will have a positive impact on Tanzania's socio-economic development in terms of job creation and increased access to products and services, among other benefits," DP World said.

The Port will connect to the hinterland of sub-Saharan Africa through a network of roads, highways, railways and dedicated freight corridors and ports, supporting the growing demand for logistics solutions across the continent and connecting businesses in the region to global markets. 

DP World said it will work with the TPA alongside the Port's existing stakeholders to build on this progress to allow faster cargo clearing and improved cargo planning — strengthening Dar es Salaam's critical role as the maritime gateway for green energy metals from the copper belt in Southern-Central Africa.

It added that the improved efficiency will attract more shipping lines and bigger ships into Dar es Salaam, which will ultimately lead to lower ocean freight costs for Tanzanian importers and exporters. 

DP World will make future investments in modernising the Port, including potential investments in temperature-controlled storage to enhance Tanzania’s agricultural sector, as well as greater connections to rail-linked logistics.

Investments will also potentially include the future development of a special economic zone together with the broader Port's logistics sector, which will increase Tanzania’s role and influence on the future of global trade. 

"We are honoured to partner with the Government of Tanzania to revitalise the port of Dar es Salaam ... The development will deliver trade opportunities for the region, connecting East Africa and broader sub-Saharan Africa with global markets, driving economic growth, job creation, enhanced access to products and services, and creating value for all our stakeholders," said Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World.

"Alongside other ports that we operate, this concession agreement marks another milestone in our collective efforts to leverage DP World's global and local expertise to enhance the region's supply chain to support the economic growth of the entire continent," he added.

DP World noted that it continues to make significant investments to realise its Africa strategy and growth ambitions, which aim to boost economic growth and uplift local communities and businesses through enabling trade and connecting markets to the global trade ecosystem.