Dar es Salaam Port Manager, Mr Hebel Mhanga told a press conference in Dar es Salaam that the Port will be able to handle consignments in five days instead of the current nine, saying the move will allow more ships to anchor at the country’s major port.
 

“We want all our customers to start using e-payment from 21st of this month to speed up handling of consignments,” said the Port Manager. Mr Mhanga also pointed out that the authority plans to expand the Port after acquiring a loan from the World Bank in order to improve operations and that the project will start next year.

 

“We expect to acquire 650 million US dollars from the World Bank in October this year. We have already carried out assessment for the project,” he observed.

 

Mr Mhanga said, the Port was also set to increase earnings following the extension of working hours for Tanzania Inter-bank Settlement System (TISS) at financial institutions, saying the working hours have been extended from 9am-2pm to 9am – 8pm.

 

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Director of Payment System, Mr Bernard Dadi, said the banks will now serve Port customers for 12 hours instead of 5 hours, adding that during the holidays and weekends the bank will serve port customers from 9 am to 2pm.

 

“We are ready to extend from 12 hours to 24 hours depending on the demands of the Port customers,” he said. Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) Customs Commissioner, Mr Tiagi Kabisi urged more customers to use the new payment system noting that it is efficient.

 

“The system has recorded achievements in revenues. We’re now operating 24 hours to serve more port customers,” he said. Mr Tiabisi said, the new system had attracted more customers to use the Dar es Salaam Port, including those from South Sudan.

Source : in2eastafrica.net