The last three years have seen an improvement in the overall performance of the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) – despite many challenges.
Tazara managing director, Bruno Chingandu, said that the authority had achieved an increase of over 94% in freight volumes - from 88 000 metric tonnes in the 2014/15 financial year to 171 000 in 2016/17.
Over the past three years, enhanced security methods had reduced security breaches to near zero and transit times, he added, while the transit time for a freight train moving between Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and New Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia was down from 20-30 days to 5-7.
“Speed-restricted spots have been reduced from 50 to 23 which has contributed to faster movement of trains and shorter transit times,” said Chingandu.
He pointed out that that factors such as the increase in mineral products, streamlined port operations at Dar es Salaam and the passing of Statutory Instrument No.7 – which requires 30% of heavy and bulk cargo to move from road to rail – would be even more beneficial to the rail corridor in 2018.
However, Chingandu noted that challenges such as insufficient capital and investment funds, poor track conditions and low rolling-stock availability would continue to negatively impact the authority throughout this year.
