Tanzanian ports become bargaining chip against Mombasa for EA traders in Port News 03/03/2026 Kenya and Tanzania may have been traditional rivals when it comes to port business. But some things had stayed intact, such as the routes other countries use to import. South Sudan, for instance, has been using Mombasa port largely because of the shorter distance, compared Tanzanian facilities. But that may be changing after Juba chose to diversify its trade routes and reduce reliance on the Northern Corridor for which Mombasa Port is the anchor. Since December, South Sudan has followed deals with Tanzania to use Dar es Salaam and Tanga ports to serve as primary terminals for its imports and exports after integrating revenue systems of the two countries due to the increasing cost of handling cargo from Mombasa to Juba. Actually, it still means South Sudan will use part of the Northern Corridor, but will avoid Mombasa. Already, the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) has secured designated land at the ports of Dar es Salaam and Tanga in Tanzania to serve as the main terminals for handling cargo following the signing of a joint communiqué between the SSSRA and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). After a bilateral meeting held in Tanzania on January 22, 2026, the two sides said they will follow through and implement operations. The meeting also agreed on a cross-border trade facilitation programme, and a digital system integration aimed at curbing tax evasion and ensuring cargo reaches its destination without diversion or interference. The agreement was signed by the Commissioner General of the SSRA, William Anyuon, and his Tanzanian counterpart, Commissioner General Yusuoh Juma. Mr Anyuon said the port of Dar es Salaam will officially serve as the main entry point for South Sudan-bound cargo, alongside the port of Tanga. Competitive advantageBy establishing dedicated terminals in Tanzania, South Sudan seeks to diversify its trade routes, reduce the risks associated with a single port corridor, and capitalise on Tanzanian ports’ competitive advantages, such as longer free storage periods. This reasoning on Juba’s side means that distance alone will no longer determine which port to use. Mombasa has been plagued with congestion for the last three months, causing delays for commodities such as tea and coffee from the region. Some traders opt for air deliveries as others notify customers of the delays. South Sudan isn’t the only country using Tanzania as a bargaining chip for better business. Uganda and Tanzania have recently entered MoUs to secure better export-import business via Dar and Tanga. Both countries are building a crude oil pipeline, which itself was the subject of haggling between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania before Kampala eventually settled on doing it with Dodoma over Nairobi. Recently, they announced plans to construct link railway line to boost movement of goods. Each of these countries now have a choice on whether to use the Northern Corridor through Kenya or Central Corridor through Tanzania. But it also signals intent to choose efficiency over distance and cost. The push is also fuelled by the need for secure supplies, with Kenya’s political environment around election time often problematic. In the past, Ugandan traders lost business after Kenya’s post-election violence in 2008. They later sued the Kenyan government and won compensation claims in court. The South Sudan Business community in Mombasa Chairman Emmanuel Kachuol sai