ZANZIBAR: Zanzibar has launched construction of a new deep-sea port at Mangapwani, a $300 million project aimed at easing congestion, lowering energy costs and positioning the archipelago as a regional trade hub.
President Hussein Ali Mwinyi said the Mangapwani Integrated Port would address long-standing infrastructure constraints that have slowed economic growth, including limited cargo capacity at the ageing Malindi Port and gaps in energy and fuel storage.
“This project will unlock new opportunities in trade, investment and logistics, strengthening Zanzibar’s role in regional commerce,” Mwinyi said at the foundation stone-laying ceremony in North Unguja.
The planned port will be capable of handling ultra-large container vessels carrying up to 15,000 containers, with an annual throughput of more than 200,000 containers, according to officials. It is also expected to process over one million tonnes of cargo each year once completed.
Authorities say the development will include fuel storage facilities with a capacity of more than six million litres and a 200-megawatt power plant, aimed at stabilising supply and reducing energy costs that have weighed on businesses.
Zanzibar’s current main port at Malindi has faced capacity constraints and long vessel waiting times, limiting efficiency in cargo handling and raising logistics costs.
Officials said the Mangapwani project would help ease pressure on existing infrastructure while improving connectivity with East and Central African markets.
The project is being built by China Harbour Engineering Company, whose chairman Bai Yinzhan said the contractor would deliver the port in line with international standards and within schedule. Completion is expected by 2028.
Zanzibar’s Minister for Works and Transport, Khalid Salum Muhammed, said the project would generate jobs and support wider economic activity across the islands.
In parallel, authorities are developing an oil and gas storage hub at the site, involving partnerships between the Zanzibar Ports Corporation and private firms, as part of efforts to strengthen fuel supply chains.
Mwinyi said early-stage works were progressing well, with the first phase of the project expected to show tangible results later this year.
Analysts say expanded port capacity and integrated energy infrastructure could reduce transport and fuel costs, improving the competitiveness of Zanzibar’s economy and supporting growth in sectors such as tourism, trade and light industry.