Construction of East Africa’s Deepest Port Set to Begin as Tanzania Revives Bagamoyo Project

Posted on : Monday, 1st December 2025

Tanzania will finally begin the Construction of long-awaited Bagamoyo Port this December, marking the end of a 10-year delay and ushering in one of the country’s most ambitious construction undertakings.

The government confirmed that all preparations are complete for the launch of construction works on the massive port project, situated about 75 km northeast of Dar es Salaam. The Bagamoyo Port forms the centerpiece of a larger special economic zone that will integrate industrial parks, road networks, and railway links to create a modern logistics and manufacturing hub.

According to government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa, the construction phase will kick off with the development of 14 out of the planned 28 berths, laying the structural foundation for what is expected to become East Africa’s deepest and busiest port facility. The new port will have a 20-meter depth, enabling it to receive larger vessels than any existing port in the region.

Msigwa added that heavy machinery for the construction works is already en route to the country, signaling imminent ground activity, although further technical details were not disclosed.

The Bagamoyo Port project was first conceived in 2013 through a framework agreement involving China Merchants Holdings International and Oman’s State General Reserve Fund. However, the development stalled for years after Tanzania raised concerns about the original contractual conditions.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan revived the project, initiating renegotiations to secure more favourable terms and ensure the construction could proceed. The $10 billion initiative is now positioned to significantly expand Tanzania’s maritime capacity and reinforce its role as a regional trade gateway.