The Director General of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Mr. Plasduce Mbossa, recently confirmed that construction of the Mbamba-Bay Port, in the Ruvuma Region, scheduled to begin this month.
Mr. Mbossa reaffirmed TPA’s commitment to making sure that the development plan for the port is carried out as planned. He stated that the authority was aware of the port’s importance.
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He also added that TPA is determined to implement the strategy for opening up the Mtwara Corridor and Mtwara Port.
Why Mbamba-Bay Port is being built
The announcement was made by the TPA’s head. This is in response to concerns raised by Mr. Humphrey Polepole, Tanzania’s ambassador to Malawi, regarding the need for TPA to build Mbamba Bay Port. Mr. Humphrey suggested that it would open the Mtwara Corridor. Furthermore, the port would also stimulate economic growth in the Mtwara and Ruvuma regions.
The Mtwara Corridor is a huge infrastructure project. It spans southern Tanzania, northern Mozambique, and also the eastern of Zambia.
The infrastructure includes access by road, rail, and water to the port of Mtwara from the neighboring regions.
Additionally, the construction of Mbamba Bay would not facilitate the movement of commodities and people from the deepest water port to other destinations, particularly in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Without it, Mtwara Port will not be used to its full capacity.
Mbamba-Bay Port’s lack of access to water transportation hinders Mtwara Port from taking advantage of many business prospects in Malawi.
The government leaders in the Mtwara Region are making a determined attempt to use the Mtwara Port to take advantage of business opportunities in their neighboring countries. This would transform the region’s economy, he added.
He reiterated the need for TPA to also expedite the construction of Mbamba-Bay Port. This is in order to make the plan’s implementation easier.
The government of the Mtwara Region has developed a detailed strategic plan to use the Mtwara Port to attract both domestic and foreign business opportunities, with gas being one of the resources to support regional economic growth.
