Tanzania is set to officially launch operations of the locally constructed MV Mwanza ferry on Lake Victoria on January 23, 2026, local media reports indicate. The vessel is expected to boost passenger and cargo transport across the lake, reinforcing regional trade and connectivity.
The MV Mwanza has the capacity to carry 1,200 passengers, 400 tons of cargo, 20 light vehicles, and three trucks. It will operate routes connecting Bukoba port with other Tanzanian ports, as well as the Kenyan port of Kisumu and Ugandan ports including Port Bell and Jinja.
Built at the Mwanza shipyard by two South Korean firms, the ferry cost approximately 120 billion Tanzanian shillings ($46.9 million). Tanzanian authorities present the project as a key measure to strengthen national public transport capacity, improve supply chain performance, and facilitate cross-border commerce in East Africa.
The initiative aligns with Tanzania’s broader strategy to develop an integrated transport and logistics network combining road, rail, maritime, and inland waterways. In line with this vision, the government has intensified investments in port modernization and the standard-gauge railway (SGR) network, aimed at improving connectivity with landlocked countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.
