Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has suspended the bagging of loose cargo inside Dar es Salaam Port to reduce the number of waiting ships and causing congestion in the facility, giving the Port of Mombasa a huge influx of cargo.

TPA officials, in a letter to port stakeholders, explained the move as meant to increasing number of waiting ships, which has reached 40. This affords the port time to evacuate cargo and reduce waiting time for ships at the outer anchorage.

The letter was addressed to major loose cargo operators in Dar port, including Export Trade Group Yara Tanzania Company, Zenj General Merchandise and Premium Agro.

“Due to the current line-up (sic) of vessels at the outer anchorage waiting for berthing, we wish to inform you that bagging of cargo inside the port will be temporarily suspended to evacuate and reduce waiting time at outer anchorage,” reads the letter.

The move comes in the wake of massive congestion being experienced in the Dar es Salaam and Djibouti ports.