Tanzanian Seafarers Seek Recognition and Better Conditions Amidst Blue Economy Boom
By JAMES KAMALA
In a bold move coinciding with International Seafarers’ Day on June 25, Tanzanian seafarers are calling on the government to boost their employability and improve working conditions.
Despite the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) theme for this year’s event, “Navigating the Future: Safety First,” local seafarers feel neglected in terms of safety, benefits, and job opportunities. The five-day celebrations, which began on June 22, will climax today in Bagamoyo town, Coast Region.
As Tanzania invests heavily in its blue economy infrastructure, including the construction of new ships, ports, and shipyards, the country’s seafarers hope to see parallel improvements in their working environment.
“Tanzania’s watersheds form the basin areas for three of Africa’s longest rivers, including the Nile, Congo, and Zambezi, in addition to several prominent transboundary lakes such as Lake Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika,” states a 2021 USAID report on Water Resources Profile Series.
With a 1,420-kilometer coastline along the Indian Ocean, Tanzania’s coastal communities are naturally inclined towards water-based occupations. However, many young Tanzanians, despite dreaming of seafaring careers, end up as unskilled fishermen due to a lack of training and modern tools.
“Challenges faced by seafarers include weak maritime management tools, a lack of maritime employment policies and regulations, oppressive maritime recruitment practices, poor seafarer entitlements, poor working conditions for seafarers, and poor living conditions for seafarers, particularly young people and women,” said the Tanzania Seamen’s Union (TASU) in a press release during the World Seafarers’ Day commemoration in Bagamoyo. TASU urged the government to address these challenges to ensure more Tanzanians can access profitable seafaring careers.
Despite the vast water resources, Tanzania experiences significant fatal accidents on its rivers, lakes, and oceans. Data from the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) reveals that in 2023 alone, seven people died, and 57 were injured in water-based accidents. Tragic incidents like the 1996 MV Bukoba sinking, which claimed over 800 lives, and the 2011 MV Spice Islander disaster, which killed 243, highlight the need for stricter safety measures.
Dr. Wifred Kileo, acting principal of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI), emphasized the importance of regulatory advocacy to safeguard human life and ensure safe cargo transportation. “All of the major deadly accidents in the vast Indian Ocean, lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, and Nyasa were due to human behavior rather than mechanical or infrastructural failure,” he said.
The government’s investment in the blue economy includes renovating defunct ships and constructing new ships and ports. Projects like the nearly completed MV Mwanza passenger ship for Lake Victoria and the new cargo ship for Lake Tanganyika are expected to create more seafaring opportunities. Renovations and new constructions at major ports, including Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Zanzibar, and new ports on Lake Victoria, underscore this commitment.
With over 8,000 registered marine officers, including more than 2,300 seafarers, according to TASAC, these numbers are anticipated to grow as Tanzania’s blue economy expands. As TASU continues to push for better conditions, there is hope that the future of Tanzanian seafarers will be brighter, safer, and more prosperous.
