On July 20, 2026, Tanzanian President Hassan stood on land in Kigoma, laying the foundation for the sixth section of the standard gauge railway. This 6.31 trillion shilling, or approximately 2.743 billion US dollars railway, is just a part of the agenda for that day. Four 2000 ton cargo ships were launched on the same day, and the expansion of Kigoma Port is progressing simultaneously. By putting railways, fleets, and ports on the same day, Tanzania's vision for the Western Logistics Corridor has become clear.

The Western Calculation of the 506 kilometer Railway

The sixth section connects Tabora and Kigoma, with a total length of 506 kilometers. It is constructed by the China Railway Construction China Civil Engineering Joint Venture and is planned to be completed by 2030. The construction progress has exceeded 10%, and it is expected to create about 15000 job opportunities. After the railway extends westward from Dar es Salaam Port to Kigoma, goods can be transported to the hinterland of DRC and Burundi via Lake Tanganyika. The railway is designed for a passenger speed of 160 kilometers per hour and a freight speed of 120 kilometers per hour. After completion, the travel time from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma will be reduced from 20 hours to 8 hours. The African Development Bank has started disbursing matching financing to provide financial support for the project's progress.

Simultaneous implementation of port expansion and fleet upgrade

The 310 meter cargo terminal at Kigoma Port is undergoing renovation, with an expected annual cargo capacity to increase from 800000 tons to 2 million tons after completion. The water depth will also be increased from 3.5 meters to 6 meters, and it can accommodate larger tonnage vessels. Four 2000 ton cargo ships were built by Gold Voyage Logistics, a subsidiary of Zijin Mining, and have been launched at Karuma Port. Each ship is 70 meters long and 15 meters wide, and is planned to be put into operation on Lake Tanganyika. The Tanzania Port Authority revealed that Zijin Mining will also construct a road approximately 500 kilometers connecting Manono to Kalemie Port. Keywords: Kigoma Port, Railway

The simultaneous advancement of railways, ports, and fleets indicates that the Tanzanian side has operated this system as a complete intermodal transportation channel. For logistics companies, once the cargo flow in this western corridor stabilizes - railways, ports, warehousing, lake transportation, mining roads, and customs clearance - every link will generate tangible orders.Editor/Cheng Liting