DAR ES SALAAM: The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) has launched container freight services on its Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), marking a significant step in the country’s multi-billion-dollar plan to modernise transport infrastructure and position itself as a regional logistics hub.
A 50-wagon freight train carrying 100 containers departed from Pugu freight terminal in Dar es Salaam to Dodoma on Wednesday, signalling the first deployment of container carrier wagons since SGR freight operations began on June 27, 2025.
The SGR is the centrepiece of Tanzania’s rail modernisation strategy, designed to replace the ageing metre-gauge network with a faster, higher-capacity system built to international standard gauge (1,435mm).
The railway is being developed in phases along the Central Corridor, linking the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam to Dodoma and onward to Mwanza on Lake Victoria, with planned extensions to Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The government has said the total SGR investment is expected to exceed $10 billion once completed, making it one of the largest infrastructure projects in East Africa. Key sections already operational include the Dar es Salaam–Morogoro (300 km) and Morogoro–Dodoma (422 km) stretches, which together form the backbone of the corridor.
Speaking at the launch, TRC Acting Director of Transport Services Focus Sahani said containerised cargo operations mark a new commercial phase following the earlier introduction of passenger services and bulk freight for commodities such as rice and cement.
“Our first container train to Ihumwa has officially commenced operations, and we have secured a strong commitment from our first client,” he said, referring to GSM Group, which provided the inaugural shipment.
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The railway is designed for speeds of up to 160 km per hour for passenger trains and around 120 km per hour for freight, significantly reducing transit times between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma compared with road haulage, which can take 8–10 hours depending on traffic and weather conditions.
In December 2024, TRC received 264 SGR freight wagons — including 200 container carriers and 64 for loose cargo — substantially expanding its freight capacity. The corporation says the SGR is capable of hauling heavier loads at lower unit costs than trucking, improving efficiency for both domestic and transit cargo.
Dar es Salaam port handles more than 17 million tonnes of cargo annually and serves as a gateway not only for Tanzania but also for landlocked neighbours including Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Port expansion projects in recent years have increased berth capacity and container handling volumes, but congestion and inland clearance delays remain recurring challenges.
To address this, TRC is promoting Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in Morogoro and Ihumwa, near Dodoma, allowing cargo to be cleared inland rather than at the port. The Morogoro ICD, located about 193 kilometres from Dar es Salaam, is strategically positioned to serve traders moving goods to southern highland regions such as Mbeya and Iringa, while Ihumwa will handle cargo destined for the political capital and central regions.
By shifting more containers from road to rail and decentralising clearance procedures, authorities aim to cut port dwell times, reduce pressure on the Dar–Dodoma highway and lower transport costs along the Central Corridor — a key trade artery competing with Kenya’s Northern Corridor through Mombasa and emerging routes in Mozambique.
The launch of container services underscores Tanzania’s broader strategy of leveraging infrastructure to strengthen regional trade integration under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the East African Community, as competition intensifies among coastal states to capture a greater share of transit cargo flows in the region.