TASHICO calls for Great Lakes to cooperate on climate resilience

MWANZA: THE government, through the Tanzania Shipping Corporation (TASHICO), has called for stronger cooperation among Great Lakes countries to integrate climate resilience into marine transport and enhance the sector’s ability to withstand climaterelated challenges.

TASHICO Managing Director, Eric Hamissi made the call in Mwanza City yesterday during a special interview with the ‘Daily News’ on measures being taken by the government through the corporation to invest in modern vessels and navigation systems.

Mr Hamissi said the investments form part of TASHICO’s climate adaptation strategy, stressing that climate resilience should be incorporated into the design and construction of vessels, ports, shipyards and other marine infrastructure.

He said climate-related challenges affecting shared water bodies transcend national boundaries and therefore require joint solutions among countries sharing the Great Lakes.

“Enhanced regional cooperation will help countries address the impacts of climate change on marine transportation while ensuring sustainable and efficient services on shared lakes,” he said.

Mr Hamissi noted that changing water levels and weather patterns were creating operational challenges for inland water transport, affecting navigation, access to ports and landing sites, operations and cargo capacity.

He commended the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) for providing timely weather and climate information, saying the data enables TASHICO to prepare vessels, crews and operations and make informed decisions on navigation and scheduling.

He said the corporation continuously monitors weather and navigational information, assesses operating conditions and takes appropriate measures to safeguard passengers, crew, vessels and cargo.

Meanwhile, Mr Hamissi said TASHICO is set to intensify digital transformation, strengthen climate-resilient operations and expand its maritime footprint under its next five-year strategic plan.

The corporation plans to strengthen digital ticketing and passenger management systems, vessel performance monitoring and cargo tracking.

“Our systems should support faster decisionmaking, greater transparency, improved customer experience and better control of costs and revenue,” he said.

He said TASHICO’s next strategy would shift focus from recovery and investment towards expansion, commercialisation and regional and international maritime leadership.

Key priorities include increasing fleet availability, strengthening cargo transport, expanding regional routes, developing marine infrastructure and enhancing digitalisation.

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