The Determinants Of Container Terminals Performance In Tanzania

Maritime transportation plays a major role in the national and international trade. The steady growth of seaborne trade has resulted in the increase of container ships, container ports and their terminals. There is no single measure that can sum up all the important aspects of port or terminal performance. Generally, this study examines the determinants of container terminal performance in Tanzania. It examines the influence of technology, the management efficiency, custom procedures and the influence of terminal equipment on performance of container terminal. The study was carried out at Tanzania International Container Terminal Services Ltd (TICTS) which is the largest container Terminal in Tanzania .Target population for this study was all TICTS employees as they were believed to be rich and well experienced in container terminal operations, thus, reliable respondents pertaining to this study. Purposive sampling technique was adopted. Both primary and secondary data were collected. Multiple linear regression models were adopted for analyzing the data. The study revealed that there is positive relationship between study variables (technology, management, custom clearance procedures, and equipment in use) and container terminal performance. It was recommended that the management as the driver of changes in running container terminals should ensure that skilled manpower, provision of necessary trainings, user-friendly technologies and modern equipment’s are available so that good performance can be guaranteed. Also, the government should improve TRA system reliability, set a reasonable grace period to customers, ensure reliable source of power supply and expand terminal size to accommodate more containers. Findings of the study implies that, to obtain better performance in container terminal operations there should be good management, effective custom procedures and enough terminal equipment which are in good condition .The study suggests further studies to carried out in different terminals especially landslide container terminals so that proper reliable generalization can be made. Also, other studies could be conducted on the role of ICDs in port performance, the role of railway transport in improving seaport operations, as well as the role of foreign investors in development of ports operations in Tanzania.