Government Moves to Reduce Oil Tanker Turnaround Time at Port





DAR ES SALAAM

The Government has put in place measures to reduce the amount of time oil tankers spend at the port, as part of efforts to improve efficiency in the receipt, storage and distribution of petroleum products in the country.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy responsible for Petroleum and Gas, Dr. James Mataragio, said this during an inspection tour of petroleum infrastructure at the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and Tanzania International Petroleum Reserves Limited (TIPER).

Dr. Mataragio said the Government wants to ensure that vessels arriving in the country receive services on time, discharge their petroleum products efficiently and leave the port without unnecessary delays.

“It is the Government’s expectation that vessels arrive, discharge petroleum products and leave. Every institution must understand its responsibilities and plan accordingly,” he said.

He explained that one of the challenges contributing to prolonged vessel stays at the port is the slow rate of receiving and evacuating petroleum products at some privately owned storage facilities. This situation forces vessels to wait and contributes to congestion at the port.

In response to the challenge, Dr. Mataragio directed the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA) to strengthen oversight of private storage facility owners and ensure that they install infrastructure that meets operational requirements.

He said storage facility owners should improve pumps and other equipment used to receive petroleum products, particularly where such equipment is worn out or lacks the required capacity.

According to Dr. Mataragio, delays in vessels’ departure from the port increase operational costs, including vessel waiting charges, which may ultimately affect the price of petroleum products paid by consumers.

Meanwhile, PBPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Erasto Simon, said the agency will meet with key stakeholders in the petroleum sector, including Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and TPA, to review and improve the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Manual.

He said the review will clearly define the responsibilities, implementation timelines and accountability of each stakeholder involved in the receipt and transfer of petroleum products.

The initiative is expected to strengthen coordination between vessels and petroleum receiving facilities, reduce the time vessels spend at the port and control costs arising from delays.

During the inspection tour, Dr. Mataragio was accompanied by the Ministry of Energy’s Petroleum Commissioner, Mr. Goodluck Shirima; PBPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Erasto Simon; Dar es Salaam Port Manager, Mr. Abed Gallus Abed; EWURA Eastern Zone Manager, Engineer Lorivii Long’idu; and experts from the Ministry of Energy.

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