Tanzania has officially unveiled the Kwala Dry Port, a major logistics hub designed to handle cargo from the Port of Dar es Salaam to inland regions and neighboring landlocked countries.
The Kwala Dry Port, formally known as the Kwala International Logistics Center, is located in Kibaha Rural District, Pwani Region. With a capacity to handle up to 300,000 containers annually, the facility is projected to reduce congestion at the Dar es Salaam Port by 30 percent and significantly cut down the number of cargo trucks entering the city center.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on July 31, 2025, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the new dry port will help lower transportation costs, ease traffic congestion in Dar es Salaam, and support the growth of local industries.
Covering 502 hectares, Kwala Dry Port is directly connected to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). This rail link enables cargo to reach Kwala from the Dar es Salaam Port within 45 minutes to one hour, and further inland to Dodoma in about 4 to 5 hours.
“These are major improvements that will significantly reduce the time spent by cargo trucks,” President Samia said. “Currently, it takes an average of 30 to 35 hours to reach Kwala, with 24 to 30 hours spent on entry and exit procedures at the port.”
She directed the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Trade and Industries to ensure that all relevant port institutions are fully operational at the Kwala Dry Port by August 4, 2025, to facilitate smooth operations.
Several neighboring landlocked countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan have already secured marshalling yard space at the new facility to streamline cargo transit to their respective territories.
“Kwala Dry Port will significantly enhance cargo transportation to countries like the DRC, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, and Malawi, strengthening the competitive edge of the Dar es Salaam Port in the region,” said President Samia.
In 2024, the Port of Dar es Salaam handled approximately 9.2 million metric tonnes of cargo destined for neighboring countries, with 70 percent of it bound for the DRC and Zambia.
In a related event, President Samia also flagged off the operation of 160 SGR cargo wagons between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma and laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Kwala Industrial Park.
