Global metal giants eye Dar Port for African trade

DAR ES SALAAM: ENHANCED efficiency and productivity following private investment at the Dar es Salaam Port continue to pay off, as three global metal giants have expressed interest in trading in Africa through the Dar es Salaam gateway.

The companies—China Metal Storage and Transport Company (CMST), Mercuria and their jointly owned subsidiary Henry Bath & Son Ltd—visited Tanzania at the invitation of DP World and the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to explore potential partnerships.

“Welcome to Africa and welcome to invest in Tanzania, especially Dar Es Salaam. There is great potential for you. discussions with DP World will be successful. Our terminal Operator is doing very well, so we expect you to get all the services you need.” Eng Dr Baraka Mdima, TPA Acting Deputy Director General, said during a recent meeting in Dar es Salaam with top officials of the companies.

“Today, we have hosted three global companies that are giants in the metals market. This underscores the realisation of the potential of Dar es Salaam Port,” said Martin Jacob, Chief Executive Officer of DP World Tanzania, which operates some of the berths at Dar es Salaam port.

“We are confident that Dar es Salaam Port and its associated stakeholders will benefit and there will be improvements in the logistics chain not just in the port but also for land-linked countries and consumers. These companies intend to establish their footprint in this part of the world, leading to further improvements. Previously, they had no significant presence in Africa, but now, thanks to private sector involvement in the port, investor confidence has improved” he added.

“This is a clear indication of the confidence the global market has in DP World’s operations at the Dar es Salaam Port,” he emphasised.

CMST is a global leader in metal storage, while Mercuria is one of the top five global metal trading companies, boasting an annual turnover of over 180 billion US dollars and operations across five continents—except Africa.

Henry Bath & Son Ltd is their jointly owned subsidiary founded in London with a proven track record in the world market including participation in the LME -London Metals Exchange. Now, they are considering expanding into Africa.

Tanzania has become significantly more investor friendly, attracting strategic partnerships.

For CMST, this marks their first venture into Africa.The company sees an opportunity to provide globally tested solutions in minerals trading while positioning the port as a crucial gateway.

To facilitate this process, specialised structures will be required, particularly for mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to reduce loading and documentation delays. CMST manages a significant volume of metal trade in China, handling all major minerals for metal production.

While active in the whole spectrum of commodities trading, Mercuria has reestablished themselves in the metals business from August 2024 with a very keen interest for growth in Africa as a source and China as the market.

“With our re-entry into the metals markets, this is a strategic partnership to catalyse our footprint in Africa. We are here to accompany our partners in this important visit” Leo D’Offay, Head of Metals and Minerals for Africa, Mercuria.

“For Africa, this is our next strategic location. We currently have no presence here, but we see Dar es Salaam Port as a key gateway with continuously growing volumes,” said Wang Haibin, President of CMST.

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Mr Peter Waszkis, Chief Executive Officer of Henry Bath & Son Ltd, stated, “We have come here to meet with key players and explore the best ways to enter this market, particularly in shipping and infrastructure. We are very excited about Africa. Dar es Salaam is well-located in SubSaharan Africa and we need to be here.”