• Zanzibar begins building Mangapwani port to decongest Malindi and boost regional trade

• New port will handle 200,000 TEUs and 1 million tonnes of general cargo annually

• Project includes power generation facilities and 60 million-liter fuel storage capacity

Zanzibar authorities launched construction of the Mangapwani Integrated Port on Unguja’s northern coast. The project aims to address structural bottlenecks and alleviate congestion at the aging Malindi port, President Hussein Ali Mwinyi told local media.

Malindi port, built in 1920, struggles to handle modern freight, prolonging delivery times, raising logistics costs, and constraining trade volumes.

The Mangapwani port will feature modern, multifunctional infrastructure capable of handling 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and 1 million tonnes of general cargo per year.

The upgraded facilities will accommodate larger vessels, increase cargo throughput, and improve operational efficiency.

In addition, the project will include a dedicated power generation plant and fuel storage tanks with a combined capacity of 60 million liters.

Zanzibar plans to position Mangapwani within East Africa’s trade corridors. The port will strengthen connectivity with mainland Tanzania and regional markets, supporting the archipelago’s economic diversification strategies.

The development also aims to underpin Zanzibar’s tourism-driven economy by ensuring reliable energy supply and smoother logistics for imports and exports.

This article was initially published in French by Henoc Dossa

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum