Zambia, Tanzania Agree on Monthly Fuel Vessel Offloading to Secure Diesel Supply
The Ministers of Energy of Zambia and Tanzania met today in Dar es Salaam for a high-level bilateral engagement focused on petroleum cooperation, reaffirming the two countries’ long-standing partnership in the energy sector.
The meeting brought together senior government officials from both sides to discuss petroleum supply, infrastructure management and policy coordination, with the shared objective of strengthening regional energy security and ensuring a stable and reliable fuel supply for Zambia.
The Zambian delegation was led by the Minister of Energy, Mr Makozo Chikote, and included Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Oliver Kalabo, Permanent Secretary for Energy Professor Ephraim Munshifwa, representatives from the Attorney General’s Office and the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) Board Chairperson. The high-level composition of the delegation highlighted the strategic importance Zambia attaches to petroleum logistics and the management of shared infrastructure.
A key focus of the discussions was the TAZAMA Oil Pipeline, jointly owned by Zambia and Tanzania and regarded as a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation. Constructed in the late 1960s to secure fuel supply routes for landlocked Zambia, the pipeline runs approximately 1,710 kilometres from the Port of Dar es Salaam to Ndola. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding and modernising the pipeline to support reliable petroleum supply, economic development and deeper bilateral ties.
In a major outcome of the engagement, Zambia and Tanzania agreed on a structured operational arrangement to guarantee the monthly offloading of one fuel vessel at the Port of Dar es Salaam. Under the agreement, a vessel carrying more than 100,000 metric tonnes of fuel will be berthed and offloaded between the 15th and 25th of each month, with the Tanzania Ports Authority facilitating timely handling.
The agreement was jointly announced in Dar es Salaam by Tanzania’s Minister of Energy, Mr Deogratius Ndejembi, and Mr Chikote following a high-level technical meeting involving permanent secretaries and experts from both countries.
Addressing the technical teams, the two ministers stressed the importance of strict adherence to the agreed operational arrangements, noting that effective coordination and institutional discipline are essential to maintaining uninterrupted fuel supplies to Zambia.
Mr Ndejembi said the measures would significantly enhance the security and efficiency of diesel supply logistics for Zambia, adding that the two countries also discussed expanding cooperation into other energy sub-sectors, including electricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Mr Chikote commended the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for its continued cooperation, describing the agreement as a reflection of the strong bilateral partnership and shared commitment to regional energy security.
Currently, more than 85 per cent of Zambia’s diesel requirements are transported under the Petroleum Access Policy Framework through the TAZAMA Pipeline, with fuel offloaded at the Port of Dar es Salaam. The latest agreement further consolidates Tanzania’s strategic role as Zambia’s key petroleum import gateway.
