TANZANIA Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA) says that huge investment made at the Port of Dar es Salaam has reduced cargo unloading period from an average of between 25 and 30 days to between three and five days.

Edward Urio, TAFFA president made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday when speaking at a press conference.  Urio said that the efforts to modernise the port have reduced the cost for a ship to stay at the port.

"As major stakeholders in transportation and cargo handling at the port, we are very proud of the substantial investment made at the port," he said.

He noted that the joint efforts of the government and private sector have improved efficiency at the port and are likely to attract more investors.

He attributed efficiency at the port to primarily the $600 million investment that involves expanding service facilities from berth 0 to 7, deepening water channels and expanding turning basins for ships.

He explained the average cost for a ship to stay at the port beyond the gate-per-day is around $10,000 (25m/-). This, in turn, impacts Tanzanians as end consumers.

According to Urio, the improvements have attracted more customers who export cargo to various destinations within and outside Tanzania using the railway system. The improvements have also increased tax collection, he said.

"The Tanzania Revenue Authority has held a meeting with TAFFA and commended our contribution because we provide high-quality services and have enhanced competition to the advantage of customers. TAFFA is proud to be part of this process," he said.

To address successes and challenges related to port   use, he said there are monthly meetings in the name of Port Import Council (PIC) where stakeholders discuss issues related to improvement of port services.