Tanzania’s port system has recorded significant growth in cargo volumes across major categories including vehicles, containers and dry bulk goods, underscoring its expanding role as a regional trade gateway, according to official data released by port authorities.
The latest figures from the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) show sharp increases in Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) traffic, container throughput handled by DP World, and dry bulk cargo volumes, alongside higher vessel calls across key terminals.
RoRo traffic posted the strongest performance, rising from 16,177 units in May 2025 to 30,442 units in May 2026, an increase of 88 percent. This represents an additional 14,265 units handled within a year.
The number of RoRo vessel calls also increased from 13 to 20 over the same period, reflecting stronger activity in vehicle imports and wheeled cargo movement. In comparison, the port handled 14,645 units in May 2024 through nine vessel calls.
Officials say the growth highlights rising demand for vehicle imports and improved efficiency in handling rolling cargo, which typically requires rapid processing and coordinated logistics between port operators and inland transport systems.
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Container traffic managed by DP World also recorded robust growth, with volumes increasing from 27,953 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in May 2025 to 44,001 TEUs in May 2026, a rise of 57 percent.
This represents an additional 16,048 TEUs handled year-on-year. Container volumes have also more than tripled compared to May 2024, when 13,779 TEUs were recorded.
DP World container vessel calls increased from 13 in May 2025 to 20 in May 2026, up from seven calls in May 2024, indicating stronger shipping activity through the terminal.
Tanzania Ports Authority Director General Plasduce Mbossa said the rising cargo volumes reflect the strategic importance of the country’s port infrastructure in supporting trade and regional connectivity.
“The rise in port activity strengthens Tanzania’s role as a trade gateway and supports national efforts to improve logistics, transport services and cargo movement. The priority remains to keep improving efficiency as volumes continue to grow,” he said.
Analysts note that rising container throughput places additional pressure on supporting logistics systems, including customs processing, cargo clearance, trucking services, warehousing and inland distribution networks.
Dry bulk cargo also saw substantial growth, increasing from 210,488 metric tonnes in May 2025 to 267,560 metric tonnes in May 2026, a rise of 27 percent.
This represents an additional 57,072 metric tonnes compared with the previous year. When compared with May 2024 levels of 86,318 metric tonnes, the latest figures reflect a cumulative increase of more than 180,000 metric tonnes over two years.
Dry bulk vessel calls rose steadily from three in May 2024 to six in May 2025 and eight in May 2026, highlighting expanding activity in commodities requiring large-scale handling and storage infrastructure.
General cargo volumes, however, recorded a slight decline, falling by about 2 percent from 210,079 metric tonnes in May 2025 to 204,978 metric tonnes in May 2026. Despite the drop, volumes remain significantly higher than the 113,699 metric tonnes recorded in May 2024.
General cargo vessel calls remained relatively stable, with 13 calls in May 2026 compared with 12 in May 2024.
At the TEAGTL terminal, container throughput remained broadly steady, rising slightly from 84,127 TEUs in May 2025 to 85,243 TEUs in May 2026, an increase of 1 percent. In May 2024, the terminal handled 65,194 TEUs.
The data points to broad-based growth across Tanzania’s port system, particularly in RoRo traffic, DP World container volumes and dry bulk cargo, which together are driving overall expansion in maritime trade activity.
Authorities say continued investment in port infrastructure and logistics efficiency will be critical to sustaining momentum as Tanzania seeks to strengthen its position as a regional hub for East and Central African trade flows.
