A Dissertation Submitted to Mzumbe University Dar es Salaam campus
College in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Business Administration - Corporate Management (MBA-CM) of Mzumbe University
The general objective of this study was to examine the contribution of Dar es Salaam port to the growth of international trade. Specifically, the study aimed to establish the contribution of Dar es Salaam port to the growth of international trade, find out if operational policies of Dar es Salaam Port favor international trade, and identify weaknesses affecting performance of Dar es Salaam port.
A case study research design was employed for this study. The study was conducted in Dar es Salaam at the premises of Dar es Salaam port. The study involved respondents from TPA, TICTS, clearing agent and port users. Primary data were collected by using questionnaires, interviews and observations. Secondary data were also collected from various documentary sources, such as Annual Reports of TPA, websites and other relevant reports from recognized institutions and companies.
The main findings of the study are that Dar es Salaam port plays a very important role in facilitating international trade. Dar es Salaam port is the starting and ending point for maritime transport which links six surrounding land-locked countries. These countries depend on the port of Dar es Salaam for facilitating the passage of their exports and the importation of goods.
In order to improve the efficiency of port operations, the study recommends that the TPA management should take measures to increase the number of berths, reduce operational costs, reduce corruption among its staff members, and introduce new fees that penalize importers who store their merchandise for excessive periods, except when the reason for the delay is the lengthy clearance processes.