msemakweli
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 20, 2014
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The construction of a freight rail link between Tanzania and Uganda is expected to begin soon.
This follows a 2011 agreement between the two countries to, upgrade the existing 400 km railway from Tanga to Arusha, and construct a 480km rail track from Arusha to Musoma port.
Cargo en-route to Kampala will then cross Lake Victoria by ship. Under the $3.58 billion deal, the two countries will also construct a new Mwambani port in Tanga and expand Musoma dock and the new Kampala port at Bukasa area.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Tanzanian Ministry of EAC Co-operation, Amantius Msole, said that both the feasibility study and the engineering designs for railway would be completed by the end of this month.
However, he didnt specify the timeframe for the projects implementation which will be financed jointly by Tanzania and Uganda.
Official cost breakdowns for the projects show that the railway line will cost $1.9 billion, other linked projects such as Mwambani Port are to get $695.5 million, Musoma port $72.6 million and the new Kampala port $320 million.
In August 2013, Tanzania engaged international consultants, Cowi to conduct engineering designs for the existing railway section from Tanga to Arusha, with a connection to serve the Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Cowis assignments comprised aerial mapping, geotechnical investigations, feasibility and environmental studies, preliminary design of alignment, bridges, rail systems and stations as well as tender documents.
In the same year, Tanzania contracted HP Gauff from Germany to conduct the feasibility study and preliminary design for the Arusha-Musoma railway section to connect the line to the soda ash-rich Engaruka basin in the north and Minjingu phosphate deposit along the Arusha-Dodoma highway.
New trade route
Upset by costly logistical challenges between Dar es Salaam and Mombasa ports, Kampala has been looking for alternative trade routes in the region.
Dr Chebrat Slepher, the Ugandas State minister responsible for Transport is on record as saying the new route would reduce congestion at the key regional ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.
This is due to the fact that Tanga and Musoma ports will specifically handle cargo traffic destined for Uganda and South Sudan.
The most interesting part of this project is that it would reduce congestion at the key regional ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam Dr Slepher said during the agreement signing in Tanzania recently.
Kampala has persistently cried that intolerable delays on the core transport corridors and low capacity at Mombasa and Dar harbours, are the major factors behind its search for new routes.
This follows a 2011 agreement between the two countries to, upgrade the existing 400 km railway from Tanga to Arusha, and construct a 480km rail track from Arusha to Musoma port.
Cargo en-route to Kampala will then cross Lake Victoria by ship. Under the $3.58 billion deal, the two countries will also construct a new Mwambani port in Tanga and expand Musoma dock and the new Kampala port at Bukasa area.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Tanzanian Ministry of EAC Co-operation, Amantius Msole, said that both the feasibility study and the engineering designs for railway would be completed by the end of this month.
However, he didnt specify the timeframe for the projects implementation which will be financed jointly by Tanzania and Uganda.
Official cost breakdowns for the projects show that the railway line will cost $1.9 billion, other linked projects such as Mwambani Port are to get $695.5 million, Musoma port $72.6 million and the new Kampala port $320 million.
In August 2013, Tanzania engaged international consultants, Cowi to conduct engineering designs for the existing railway section from Tanga to Arusha, with a connection to serve the Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Cowis assignments comprised aerial mapping, geotechnical investigations, feasibility and environmental studies, preliminary design of alignment, bridges, rail systems and stations as well as tender documents.
In the same year, Tanzania contracted HP Gauff from Germany to conduct the feasibility study and preliminary design for the Arusha-Musoma railway section to connect the line to the soda ash-rich Engaruka basin in the north and Minjingu phosphate deposit along the Arusha-Dodoma highway.
New trade route
Upset by costly logistical challenges between Dar es Salaam and Mombasa ports, Kampala has been looking for alternative trade routes in the region.
Dr Chebrat Slepher, the Ugandas State minister responsible for Transport is on record as saying the new route would reduce congestion at the key regional ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.
This is due to the fact that Tanga and Musoma ports will specifically handle cargo traffic destined for Uganda and South Sudan.
The most interesting part of this project is that it would reduce congestion at the key regional ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam Dr Slepher said during the agreement signing in Tanzania recently.
Kampala has persistently cried that intolerable delays on the core transport corridors and low capacity at Mombasa and Dar harbours, are the major factors behind its search for new routes.
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