Marine Services Company Limited

Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) is a Tanzanian company that operates ferries, cargo ships and tankers on three of the African Great Lakes, namely Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa. It provides services to neighbouring Burundi, DR Congo, Zambia and Malawi.[1][2]

Marine Services Company Limited
Native name
Kampuni ya Huduma za Meli
FormerlyTRC Marine Division
TypeParastatal
IndustryShipping, transportation
Founded8 December 1997 (1997-12-08)
Headquarters
Mwanza
,
Tanzania
Number of locations
5
Area served
Key people
Eric B. Hamissi(Ag. GM)
ServicesPassenger and cargo
Total equityTSh 1 million (nominal value)
OwnerTreasury Registrar (100%)
Websitewww.mscl.go.tz

History

Prior to its incorporation in 1997, MSCL was an integral part of the Tanzania Railways Corporation, which was formed in 1977 after the dissolution of the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation.[3][4]

On 21 May 1996, MV Bukoba capsized while travelling from Bukoba to Mwanza due to overloading.[5] At least 723 people died.[6]

Corporate affairs

MSCL is wholly owned by the Tanzanian Government via the Treasury Registrar and operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport.[1][2] Its share capital consists of 1,000 shares each with a nominal value of TSh 1,000. The company's head office is in the northern city of Mwanza at the shores of Lake Victoria.[3] It maintains two branch offices in Kigoma and Kyela; and liaison offices in Dar es Salaam and Kampala.[7]

Services

Passenger services on Lake Tanganyika to neighbouring countries include Mpulungu in Zambia; Bujumbura in Burundi; and Kalemie, Uvira and Baraka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company also plies on Lake Nyasa between Mbamba Bay in southern Tanzania and Nkhata Bay in Malawi.[3]

Between July 2013 and April 2014, MSCL transported 231,866 passengers and 41,234 tonnes of cargo.[8]

Fleet

Most of its fleet is located on Lake Victoria and includes MV Victoria, the former Royal Mail Ship. MV Liemba (formerly the Imperial German Navy's SMS Graf von Goetzen) was built in 1913 and still operates on Lake Tanganyika. The company's livery appears to be the same as TRC's predecessor, the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation: white hull above the waterline, white superstructure and buff funnel. The hull below the waterline appears to be dark red.[9]

Current
MV Liemba, built in 1913, is the oldest vessel in the fleet.
MV Victoria, the former Royal Mail Ship, anchored at Bukoba Port.
Ship Built Rehabilitated Speed (kn) Passengers Cargo (t) Lake served
MV Butiama1980–12.5200100Victoria
MV Clarias1961199310.529010Victoria
MV Iringa19741988101395Nyasa
MV Liemba1913199310.5600200Tanganyika
ML Maindi193819728–120Victoria
MV Mwongozo198219921180080Tanganyika
MT Nyangumi195819959–350Victoria
MT Sangara1981–9–350Tanganyika
MV Serengeti1988–9.5593350Victoria
MV Songea197419941021240Nyasa
MV Umoja1964–11–1,200Victoria
MT Ukerewe19381972––740Victoria
MV Victoria1960198912.51,200200Victoria
ML Wimbi193819728–120Victoria

Future

In 2014, Transport Minister Harrison Mwakyembe informed the Parliament that the government's plan to purchase three new vessels from Denmark had been delayed until June 2015 because of a 163 per cent increase in costs. The acquisition will cost US$74.9 million and construction of the vessels will take three years. He also stated that discussions with the South Korean government are on-going to procure three vessels.[8]

Accidents and incidents
  • In February 2013, fire broke out on the MV Victoria whilst docked at Mwanza Port. It is believed that it was due to the welding works going on in one of the lower deck rooms and sparks of fire then passed on to the adjacent storage compartment. The situation was under control within two hours. The Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) blamed the management for professional negligence.[10]
  • On 10 October 2014, MV Victoria experienced an engine failure midway on its journey from Bukoba to Mwanza.[6][11]
  • MV Iringa
  • MV Mwongozo
  • MV Songea

See also

References
  1. "MoT Affiliation". Ministry of Transport (Tanzania). Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  2. "Marine Transport". SUMATRA Consumer Consultative Council. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  3. "MSCL Profile". MSCL. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  4. "Taarifa ya Kampuni ya Huduma za Meli – MSCL Kuhusu Maadhimisho ya Miaka 50 ya Uhuru wa Tanzania Bara" [Report of the Marine Services Company on the 50th anniversary of independence of Tanzania Mainland] (PDF) (in Swahili). MSCL. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  5. "Lake Victoria tragedy". asahi-net.or.jp. 1996. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  6. Mulisa, Meddy (12 October 2014). "MV Victoria's engine failure". Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  7. "Contacts". MSCL. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  8. "Hotuba ya Waziri Mwakyembe" [Minister Mwakyembe's budget speech] (PDF) (in Swahili). Parliament of Tanzania. 2014. p. 43. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  9. "MSC Vessels and Capacities". MSCL. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  10. "MELI YA MV VICTORIA YANUSURIKA KUTEKETEA KWA MOTO". Michuzi Blog. February 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  11. "Panic stricken MV Victoria passengers fail to travel". The Guardian. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
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