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Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
TZDAR
Congested
Congestion Status
AIS limited in region
7d6.29 at anchor
Stable
Trend
10 Apr 2026
Updated 30d ago
Active disruption at Dar es Salaam— Dar es Salaam 6.29 days — worsened from 5.13.· Trend: stable

Port Intelligence — What freight teams need to know

Tanzania's primary port serving East African hinterland (DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Zambia). New port construction announced to start Dec 2025 after decade of delays. Currently constrained by aging infrastructure. Tanzania Port Authority managing operations.

Weekly Operational Update
Congested

Week of 10 April 2026 · heavily_disrupted

Dar es Salaam 6.29 days — worsened from 5.13.

Vessels at Anchor — 4-week trend

—22–28 days ago
—15–21 days ago
—8–14 days ago
6.29Last 7 days
Situation is stable
Customs Reality at Dar es Salaam
7d
Published free time
4d
Effective free time

Tanzanian customs slow. Multiple agencies. Pre-shipment inspection (PVoC) may be required.

Demurrage: $18/TEU/day · Detention: $10/TEU/day

Common Rejection Reasons

  • TBS standards compliance
  • TFDA registration for food/pharmaceutical imports
  • Pre-shipment verification required
Cold Chain Reality at Dar es Salaam
Mitigation:Verify reefer plug availability and power status before routing. Ensure genset as backup.
Failure point:Terminal infrastructure — power reliability
Significance:Moderate — East African food import gateway
Primary failure mode:Aging infrastructure. Power availability for reefer plug can be unreliable.
Reefer plug availability:Limited — aging infrastructure
Alternative Ports to Dar es Salaam

If disruption makes Dar es Salaam unviable for your cargo

MombasaKEMBA
Save $50/TEU
500 nm away+48h wait
Works for: East Africa. More services.
Not for: Southern Tanzania / DRC/Zambia overland — DSM is closer.
CargoPilot®

Cargo Intelligence Platform

Know exactly what's happening to your cargo — before it becomes a problem.

CargoPilot applies deep AI analysis to every shipment moving through Dar es Salaam — surfacing risks, customs traps, and delay patterns your freight team would otherwise miss.

  • AI-powered risk analysis on every shipment
  • Port disruption alerts delivered before they hit
  • Customs, demurrage & detention intelligence

First 3 shipments free. No credit card required.

Live AIS Vessels

AIS coverage limited at this port. The free AIS tier has restricted coverage in some regions, particularly mainland China ports and parts of the Middle East.

Money Traps at Dar es Salaam
Infrastructure-related delays
Aging port infrastructure creates unpredictable delays.
Budget generous buffer. New port construction may improve conditions in 2-3 years.
Seasonal Patterns
Mar-May (Long rains)
Heavy rains disrupt road transport to hinterland.
Buffer inland transit significantly.

Sources

Port intelligence: CargoPilot curated research

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