The Dar es Salaam port (People's Daily/Lyu Qiang)

The expansion project of the Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania, undertaken by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), will enable the port to handle large vessels ferrying up to 70,000 tons of containers upon completion.

With a contractual construction period of only 36 months, the project adheres to advanced global port construction technologies, guaranteeing quality while ensuring the regular operation of the port, said Xu Xinpei, manager of CHEC Tanzania.

The company has built a platform so that relevant construction can run smoothly. In March 2019, a newly built berth and the renovated berth No.1 were delivered ahead of time, meaning that the port will generate more than $30 million.

On Nov. 11, berth No.3 was delivered to the Tanzania side. At the handing-over ceremony, the Tanzanian Minister of Engineering, Transportation and Communications Isack Kamwela said that it was the right choice to entrust the project to the Chinese company.

The Chinese company has brought Chinese speed and technology to Africa, improving the handling capacity of the port by 5 million tonnes, said the minister.

The port project has also boosted employment in the local community. Valence, who joined the company in 2017, said he feels lucky to be a part of the company. During his time working for CHEC, he has been a designer and surveyor, and is now a manager of the engineering department.

“I’ve mastered the basic knowledge of port construction. In the future, I hope to start a company of my own, or be a teacher at college, to pass on port construction knowledge to more people,” Valence said.

About 80 percent of CHEC Tanzania’s staff are local, 30 percent of whom are project managers. Furthermore, the Chinese company has collaborated with local colleges to provide internship opportunities for more than 100 college students.

Besides, the company has been actively shouldering its social responsibilities. HIV prevalence in Tanzania is high, but people’s awareness is low. Feeling obliged to let people cherish and protect their lives, CHEC Tanzania provides regular health checks and consultations for its staff.

The company also pays attention to environmental protection. Besides monitoring and controlling possible impacts the project will have on its surrounding environment, CHEC Tanzania has invited third-party organizations to observe the air, noise, water, soil, and biodiversity conditions of the project and its surrounding areas.