Tanzania will finally break ground on the long-delayed Bagamoyo deep-sea port in December, according to government officials. The development, first reported by Reuters, marks a major step forward for a project that has been stalled for more than a decade.
Located about 75 kilometres north of Dar es Salaam, the Bagamoyo port forms part of a larger special economic zone that is expected to include industrial parks, logistics facilities, and integrated transport infrastructure. The full design provides for 28 berths, though construction will begin with the first 14.
Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa said machinery has already been dispatched to the site and that the port will be able to receive some of the world’s largest vessels. Once operational, Bagamoyo is expected to accommodate ships carrying up to 25 000 containers, supported by a 20-metre depth channel.
The project was initially agreed in 2013 through a partnership with China Merchants Holdings International and Oman’s State General Reserve Fund. However, progress stalled after concerns were raised about unfavourable terms. The deal was later renegotiated under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, reviving the estimated US$10 billion plan.
The Bagamoyo port is considered one of East Africa’s most significant planned maritime investments, with the potential to reshape regional trade routes, ease congestion at Dar es Salaam’s port, and serve growing markets in Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.
Construction is expected to begin before the end of the year, signalling renewed momentum in Tanzania’s infrastructure ambitions and a possible boost to the country’s competitiveness in the Indian Ocean trade corridor.
