MSCL Takes Ship-building Projects On Centre Stage To Improve Marine Transport -

THE government through Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) has outlined its plan to invest in the ship-building industry as it seeks to expand its marine services to Comoros, Seychelles, DRC and Uganda.

MSCL is also on strategies to repair 13 ships and build nine (9) new ships by the year 2025. The goal is to capture the markets for transporting passengers and cargo. Our Staff Writer spoke with the MSCL MANAGING DIRECTOR ERIC B. HAMISSI. Read On

Can you briefly tell us the historical background of Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) and what prompted its establishment?

Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) is a duly incorporated Tanzanian company based in Mwanza. Before registration as a fully-fledged company in 1997, MSCL was an integral part of Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC). The Company has more than 50 years of experience in maritime transport across Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa.

MSCL services across the three lakes serves as a linchpin for the communities along the lakes and provides intermodal connectivity for the Northern and Central Corridors as well as East and Central African countries bordering the lakes.

MSCL has a fleet of 17 vessels for both passenger and cargo transportation. Nine (9) of these vessels are deployed in Lake Victoria, 3 in Lake Tanganyika and 5 in Lake Nyasa.

The fleet is made up of 9 passenger-cargo vessels, 2 Oil Tankers, 3 Cargo vessels, 1 Tug, 2 self-propelled barges and 1 tourist boat. The Company has three branches: Mwanza, Kigoma and Kyela – Mbeya.

What have been MSCL’s major milestones and achievements since its registration as a fully-fledged company in 1997?

In the first phase of the plan which adhered to revive transport services in the country’s great lakes, the Government allocated more than 200 billion shillings for the implementation of four major projects in Lake Victoria.

The projects were intended to construct the new MV Mwanza ship “Hapa Kazi Tu”, with the capacity to carry 1,200 passengers and 400 tons of cargo in Lake Victoria which has now reached 92percent at a cost of more than 107 billion shillings and execued by GAS Entec, company

Other projects include the repairing of MV Umoja which was carried out by SM SOLUTION CO. LTD from South Korea, and completed in September 2023. The ship was repaired at the cost of USD 8,422,840, equivalent to Shs.19,811,446,192.40.

MSCL has also repaired MT Sangara’s petroleum ship at the cost of Shs8.4 billion in Lake Tanganyika. The ship has the capacity of carrying 410,000 litres of oil and was repaired by KTMI Co. Ltd from South Korea.

The Contract for the Repair of MV Liemba in Lake Tanganyika was done by M/S Brodosplit JSC of Croatia in collaboration with M/S Dar es Salaam Merchant Group of Tanzania at the cost of US D $13,192,850.00 (equivalent to Shs 32,982,125,000.00). This project will be implemented for a period of 24 months.

Meanwhile, the contract for the repairing of the MT Nyangumi in Lake Victoria will be implemented by M/S Dar es Salaam Merchant Group at a cost of Shs.8,892,804,020.63. This project will be implemented for 10 months according to the contract.

Another contract MSCL entered in 2023, was the pact to repair MT Ukerewe in Lake Victoria which will be done by M/S Dar es Salaam Merchant Group at a cost of Shs.6,317,543,300.00. This project will be implemented for 10 months according to the contract.

Other deals include the contract for the Construction of a Shipyard in Lake Tanganyika, the garage will have an area of 188 meters long and 140 meters wide and will have a size of 55,000 square meters. The contractor to implement the project is the DEARSAN SHIPYARD Company of Turkey for USD 129,436,298.00 (equivalent to Shs.322,788,239,952.40). This project will be implemented for 24 months according to the contract.

“The project for the construction of a cargo ship (Ro-Ro & Wagon Ferry) in Lake Tanganyika will be implemented by the Turkish company DEARSAN SHIPYARD for USD 63,467,143.00 (equivalent to Shs.158,274,361,213.40). This project will be implemented for 36 months according to the contract,” he said.

For the Cargo ship (Ro-Ro & Wagon Ferry) Construction Project in Lake Victoria tender, the project will be implemented by DEARSAN SHIPYARD Company of Turkey at the cost of

USD 58,171,706.00 (equivalent to Shs.145, 068,600,422.80). This project will be implemented for 24 months.

How the company’s prospects are planning for the year 2024 and to what extent has MSCL sought to position itself well in the maritime transport industry?

For the year 2024, we are planning to insist on administering the implementation and managing of all the Projects that we have entered in 2023 but also to strengthen ourselves in the transportation of cargo to East and Central African countries. In our Strategic Plan, MSCL expects to have at least 22 ships by 2026.

What have been MSCL’s key projects in 2023?

MSCL in carrying out ship repairing projects including the construction of the MV Mwanza in Lake Victoria, the repair has reached 92 per cent, and the repairing of MT Sangara in Lake Tanganyika, this repairing has reached 92 per cent.

Other repairing that MCSL is currently conducting include the the repairing of the MT Ukerewe ship in Lake Victoria, the contract has already been signed for implementation, the repair of the MT Nyangumi oil tanker in Lake Victoria, the contract has already been signed for implementation.

There is also the repairing project of the MV Liemba ship in Lake Tanganyika, the contract has already been signed for implementation.

However, a detailed assessment and type of repair of the MV Mungozo which is carrying out its activities in Lake Tanganyika to determine the type of repairs needed are not yet done.

What advantages and challenges has MSCL faced as a state company that provides its services across three lakes which serves as a linchpin for the communities along the lakes and provides intermodal connectivity for the Northern and Central Corridors as well as East and Central African countries bordering the lakes?

We have restored trust to the government due to our perfect performance and management that have been shown in all of our projects.

The other thing that we have achieved is a successful repair of the MV Victoria and MV Butiama as well as MV Clarias.

We also have sailing trips to the islands of Ukerewe, Godziba and Gana and completion of MV Umoja, a cargo ship in Lake Victoria.

Challenges

We have fewer ships that are currently working, only seven (7) ships working, including the cargo ship – MV Umoja which started trial voyages in October 2023. This number is too small for MSCL to be independent but also to contribute to transportation that will bring productivity to the national economy.

You have recently entered into a pact with Dar es Salaam Merchant Group (DMG) to repair the MV Liemba, formerly Graf Goetzen or Graf von Goetzen, a passenger and cargo ferry that runs along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika as well as repairing MT.

Ukerewe and renovation of MT Nyangumi which is the Marine Tug (MT) for carrying petroleum products operating in Lake Victoria. What should Tanzanians expect after the renovations of these ships?

i. Citizens prepare to take advantage of commercial opportunities that will be generated through improvements in the Transportation Sector.

ii. Availability of employment opportunities that will be generated during the implementation of projects

iii. The repair of the passenger and cargo ship MV Liemba will help to restore passenger and cargo transport services to the residents of the shores of Lake Tanganyika as well as the neighbouring countries of DRC, Burundi and Zambia.

What are MSCL’s plans for growth in the future, and where do you see the company in five years?

The MSCL has various plans and strategies aimed at increasing efficiency in carrying out its core responsibilities including increasing sources of income as explained in the next section:

Repairing 13 ships and building nine (9) new ships by 2025. The goal is to be able to capture the markets for transporting passengers and cargo in the countries of the DRC, Uganda, the Comoros and the Seychelles.