TANZANIA International Container Terminal Services (TICTS) has achieved a monthly record of 54,447 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in August compared to 50,400 TEUs registered in March this year, on account of government VAT removal and increase in global commodity prices.

TICTS Chief Executive Officer, Jared Zerbe said in Dar es Salaam over the weekend that the volume of local and transit traffic has grown by more than 20 per cent over that of August last year while the transit cargo for some countries increased by more than 45 per cent year on year in August 2018.

"Landlocked countries have been driving growth for TICTS as a result of significant increases in global commodity prices and the government's removal of the VAT on ancillary services for transit cargo," he said.

A record of 31,239 gate moves was also recorded. He added, "Our modern equipment and standards of excellence are helping us handle the volume increase, although, space constraints represent an acute challenge," He said transit containers cannot be transferred outside the port for storage prior to clearance, thus leading to very high or maximum yard density at peak times.

Also transit cargo dwell time has not decreased, which has led to decreased terminal storage capacity. To increase efficiency, he said TICTS has been working with the government to locate alternative storage areas for transit containers.

TICTS has also been appealing to the government to allow some transit cargo to be sent outside the port to inland container depots, to find more space within the port, to allow TICTS to buy or rent more space nearby, or to adjust downward the grace period for transit countries to expedite cargo clearance.

"The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) could also help raise our efficiency by opening a onestop center in the city for documentary clearance in order to expedite container pick-up.

Then it is up to our customers to expedite clearance of their cargo after discharge," he said.