NIRAS wins Tanzanian port masterplan contract

December 01 2019 Print This Article

NIRAS is heading an international consortium that has just signed a major deal with Tanzania Ports Authority to create a masterplan for the strategic development of the ports in the East African country during the next 25 years.

“This agreement provides us with a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of the ports of Tanzania. We will strive to make the port projects sustainable elements of the Tanzanian port infrastructure, while contributing in a positive manner to the economic development of the country,” says NIRAS Senior Vice President, Carsten Heine Lund.

Tanzania has three international ports, with Dar es Salaam being the largest. Recent developments in the region has made it necessary to expand both Port of Mtwara in the South and Port of Tanga in the North to meet increased demands for international port capacity.

Expansion of the second largest port in Tanzania

NIRAS will lead the study and design of the upgrading of the existing Port of Tanga, the second largest port in the country. The port project also encompasses the construction of a new fully fledged oil terminal in Tanga, which is a hub for rail and ship traffic in northern Tanzania.

“Tanzania is still dependent on fossil fuels, which are necessary in order to create long term development in the country. The new oil terminal in Tanga will contribute to create economic growth and hundreds of jobs. We will obviously make sure the terminal is constructed to the highest environmental and safety standards,” says Carsten Heine Lund.

In order to undertake this challenging task, NIRAS has formed a consortium consisting of ANOVA Consult from Tanzania, MTBS from the Netherlands and ILF from Germany. The construction phase is expected to start in a year, and the expansion of the Port of Tanga is projected to have a duration of two and a half years. 

Strategic development of the ports of Tanzania

On November 18, the consortium entered into the contract with Tanzania Ports Authority, which is the governing body and owner of all ports in Tanzania, including international ports, coastal ports, river ports and dry ports that hold inland container depots.

“The contract strengthens the presence of NIRAS in East Africa. From our offices in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia, we have been a strong partner in the development of the civil and public infrastructure of East Africa for the past 25 years. The new port project in Tanzania will consolidate our record of major international ports projects,” says Carsten Heine Lund.

In the past, NIRAS has been assigned to a variety of port infrastructure projects in Africa, including terminals for containers, iron ore, and oil and gas. Projects have been completed in Mombasa in Kenya, Lomé in Togo, Port of Berbera in Somalia, and Buchanan and Freeport in Liberia.

In addition, NIRAS has created national port masterplans for Nigeria and Liberia. Recently, NIRAS also won a large contract for the construction of a new port in the Maldives.