Moving Containers from Dar es Salaam Port

Dar es Salaam handles the overwhelming majority of Tanzania's containerised trade. Moving a box out of that port and delivering it to a customer hundreds of kilometres inland is routine work - but only if every hand-off between shipper, port, yard and site is documented and verified.

1. Gate-Out and Documentation

Nothing moves before the paperwork does. We confirm the bill of lading, cargo release notice and destination details before a tractor unit is even assigned. A box that is not released by the port cannot be collected, no matter who is asking.

2. The Right Equipment for the Box

Twenty-foot units run on standard skeletal trailers. Forty-foot units need a longer chassis, and heavier filled boxes need to be checked against axle ratings before dispatch. We match the trailer to the load rather than making the load fit the trailer.

"A container that is not properly twist-locked is not loaded. It is unsecured cargo on a public road."

— Primera Haulage operations manual

3. Twist-Lock Securement

Every corner casting is engaged and the twist-locks are torqued to specification before the unit leaves the yard. We re-check at every stop. Container twist-locks are designed for vertical loads only - any movement during transit concentrates force on the casting instead of the frame, which is how frames bend.

4. Inland Transit and Tracking

Routes through Dodoma, Morogoro, Arusha and Mwanza are planned around road condition, axle limits and bridge restrictions. Every unit carries GPS, so our control room and the customer can see the same position. Clients receive updates rather than having to chase them.

5. Discharge and Sign-Off

On arrival the seals are checked against the shipping documents, the box is untwist-locked and set down level, and the delivery note is signed by our driver and the receiver. Only then does the job close. If a seal is broken or a box is damaged, it is recorded and photographed before anything is moved.