The EU-Tanzania roadshow concluded on October 6, 2026, at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, where Tanzania invited European terminal operators, rail operators, and digital providers to explore opportunities in its ports and railways. The roadshow, which started at APM Terminals in Rotterdam, was divided into three tracks: port logistics, agriculture, and critical minerals. The logistics track, led by Minister of State in the President's Office for Planning and Investment, Hon. Prof. Kitila Mkumbo, visited the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium.
During the visit, Mario Lievens, Director of Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, shared positive developments in Tanzania's port sector. He reported that the port of Dar es Salaam has improved its ranking in the World Bank's Container Port Performance Index, climbing from 360th to 255th place in just one year. The port has also reduced vessel turnaround times from 10-30 days to 3-6 days, thanks to the government's decision to change the port's governance model and bring in private operators.
The European Union has expressed its support for Tanzania's port and rail development plans. Virginie de Ruyt, Head of the Eastern and Central Africa Unit at the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships, announced that the EU will contribute to the expansion of Dar es Salaam port, along with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the World Bank. The EU is also implementing the T-GATE project with the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to improve port performance, trade facilitation, and low-carbon transport.
Ambassador Filip Vanden Bulcke, acting Director-General for Geoeconomics and Economic Diplomacy at Belgium's Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, highlighted the long-standing cooperation between Belgium and Tanzania. He noted that Port of Antwerp-Bruges International has been working with TPA on port management, logistics, and operational performance, building on 70 years of diplomatic relations and over 40 years of development partnership.
Tanzania's Ambassador to the EU and Belgium, Jestas Nyamanga, reported a significant increase in trade between Tanzania and the EU. He stated that EU-Tanzania trade rose from approximately EUR 1.3 billion in 2021 to EUR 2 billion in 2024/25, with EU imports from Tanzania growing from EUR 457 million to EUR 755 million between 2021 and 2024. Tanzanian exports to Belgium also increased from EUR 123 million in 2020 to EUR 300 million last year.
Minister Mkumbo emphasized the importance of integrated logistics in Tanzania's Vision 2050, aiming to transform the ports of Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mtwara from transport infrastructure into economic infrastructure. He explained that the government wants Dar es Salaam to become an export port for value-added and manufactured goods, not just raw materials. The new Bagamoyo port is planned as an integrated port next to an industrial park designed for a thousand factories.
The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) outlined opportunities for European companies in infrastructure financing, engineering, equipment, port and rail operations, digital solutions, and logistics services. Dr. Baraka Mdima, Deputy Director General of TPA, identified three entry points for European companies: as terminal operators, EPC contractors and advisers, and in digital transformation. Nzeyimana Dyegula, Director of Planning and Investment at TRC, highlighted port-rail connectivity as a main opportunity for European companies.
Key points
- Tanzania's port of Dar es Salaam has improved its ranking in the World Bank's Container Port Performance Index, climbing from 360th to 255th place in just one year.
- The European Union will contribute to the expansion of Dar es Salaam port, along with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the World Bank.
- Tanzania aims to transform its ports into economic infrastructure, with Dar es Salaam becoming an export port for value-added and manufactured goods.
