Tanzania’s largest commercial port in Dar es Salaam has been closed indefinitely amid widespread civil unrest that followed the general elections on October 29. The government imposed an open-ended curfew and instituted a nationwide internet blackout, according to agents and maritime advisories.
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) warned that the port was non-operational from midnight local time, with no cargo handling or vessel movements either in or out. Vessel agents reported that terminal offices were inaccessible and staff unable to access company email systems.
Dar es Salaam handles a large share of Tanzania’s container volume and serves key land-locked neighbours in East Africa. According to Seatrade Maritime sources, the adjacent Container Terminal 2 (CT2) alone handled approximately 820,000 TEU in 2023, accounting for roughly 83% of Tanzania’s total container traffic.
The timing of the shutdown is especially problematic, coming amid peak import flows of fertilisers and sulphur. Market data from Argus note that sulphur imports had reached about one million tonnes by October, up nearly 50% year-on‐year. Growth is now stalled, with large stocks reportedly building up at the port.
According to ShipAtlas (See below), at least 23 ships are awaiting access to the port and another 10 is unable to leave.
Communication with terminal managers remains restricted. While voice calls are still possible, internet services for emails and digital coordination remain cut. ISS says it received no updates from other Tanzanian port facilities such as Mtwara and Tanga. The extent of any infrastructure damage at the port has not yet been confirmed.
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