tasac

What tasac does

TASAC (Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation, legal name: Shirika la Uwakala wa Meli Tanzania) is a statutory government corporation wholly owned by the Government of Tanzania, established under the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Act Cap 415 and the TASAC Act No. 14 of 2017. It functions as the exclusive maritime regulatory authority for Mainland Tanzania, delivering four integrated service lines: (1) Maritime Safety, Security and Environment regulation (vessel registration, surveys, inspections, seafarer certification); (2) Maritime Transport Regulation (licensing of shipping agents, port/terminal operators, dry port operators, cargo consolidators, and clearing and forwarding agents); (3) Shipping Business (exclusive clearing and forwarding mandate for strategic cargo including arms, ammunition, mineral concentrates, mining chemicals, government trophies, and live animals under the Wildlife Conservation Act); and (4) Economic Regulation (tariff review, performance benchmarking, complaint management, and market monitoring). The corporation also administers international maritime conventions and coordinates maritime search and rescue in Mainland Tanzania.

TASAC operates a distributed physical and digital service network. The physical footprint spans 16 regional, station, border-post, and liaison offices covering Dar es Salaam (headquarters), Mwanza, Tanga, Kigoma, Rukwa, Mtwara, Geita, Kagera, Mara, Kyela, Ukerewe, Holili, Horohoro, Sirari, Kahama, and Dodoma. The digital footprint consists of four proprietary online portals — Seafarers Online Portal, Vessels Online Registration, Shipping Service Providers Online Portal (TOLAS), and COC Verification — supplemented by online forms for seafarer registration and medical examinations. The organization is ISO 9001:2015 certified and is led by a Director General (Mohamed Malick Salum) supported by a Board of Directors chaired by Capt. Mussa H Mandia and directorate heads covering Legal, Corporate Services, Finance, Economic Regulation, Maritime Transport Regulation, and Maritime Safety/Security/Environment.

Revenue is generated through regulatory fees, licensing tariffs, passenger and cargo transport tariffs on Lake Victoria routes (e.g., Mwanza–Bukoba, Mwanza–Nansio), and the exclusive clearing and forwarding mandate. FY2025/26 government dividend/remittance was TZS 20.45 billion (up 25% from TZS 16.37 billion the prior year). Recent strategic activity includes a 2026 contract with a Turkish shipbuilder for patrol and inspection boats at Mtwara and Bukoba ports, multiple bilateral maritime MoUs (Liberia, Kenya, Mozambique), a strategic collaboration with the World Maritime University, an EMSA-conducted inspection of the national Maritime Education and Training System, and an MoU with the National Bureau of Statistics for a national vessel and shipyard census.

Name

tasac

Legal name

Shirika la Uwakala wa Meli Tanzania (Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation)

Website

https://tasac.go.tz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TASAC (Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation) is the statutory maritime regulatory authority for Mainland Tanzania, delivering licensing, safety/security/environment oversight, economic regulation, and exclusive clearing and forwarding services to shipping agents, port operators, seafarers, and vessel owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Regulatory Services

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (92612), International Affairs (92812)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation Regulators (Aviation, Maritime, Rail, Road) (BPAIAOAL), Ship & Port Security Audits, Inspections & Certification (Flag/Class/PSC Support) (TLAHANAD), Trade Facilitation, Customs & Border Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAG)

Keywords

• Maritime transport regulation
• Shipping business services
• Seafarer certification
• Port services regulation
• Maritime safety compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Dar es Salaam

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Shipping Business - Clearing and Forwarding: Exclusive mandate for clearing and forwarding functions for arms, ammunition, mineral concentrates, chemicals for mining, government trophies, and live animals under Wildlife Conservation Act
2. Regulatory Fees and Tariffs: Fees collected for maritime transport regulation, licensing, port services, and shipping business operations
3. Passenger and Cargo Transport Tariffs: Tariffs for ferry services on Lake Victoria routes (Mwanza-Bukoba, Mwanza-Nansio, etc.) and dry port operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TASAC is the maritime regulatory authority for Mainland Tanzania, established under the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Act Cap 415 and TASAC Act No. 14 of 2017. It regulates maritime transport safety, security and environmental protection, licenses shipping agents and port operators, certifies seafarers, performs clearing and forwarding for strategic cargo, and sets economic tariffs for the maritime sector. Supporting these regulatory functions are digital online portals for seafarer registration, vessel registration, shipping service provider manifests, and Certificate of Competency verification.

Product overview

TASAC operates as a regulatory government corporation under the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Act Cap. 415, providing a multi-service maritime administration platform. The core offerings consist of four integrated service areas: Maritime Safety, Security and Environment Services (vessel registration, survey, inspection, seafarer certification); Maritime Transport Regulation (regulating shipping agents, port operators, dry ports, and cargo services); Shipping Business (clearing and forwarding for government-regulated cargo); and Economic Regulation (tariff setting, performance benchmarking, and market monitoring). Supporting these core services are multiple digital portals for online service delivery including Seafarers Online Portal, Vessels Online Registration, Shipping Service Providers Online Portal, and COC Verification Portal. The organization also maintains regulatory authority over maritime legislation, issues maritime notices, and publishes tariffs and guidelines for the maritime industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Directorate of Shipping Business (Clearing and Forwarding) Exclusive clearing and forwarding service for strategic cargo including arms, ammunition, mineral concentrates, mining chemicals, government trophies, and live animals under Wildlife Conservation Act. Targeted at importers and exporters of regulated strategic cargo requiring government-controlled clearance.
• Maritime Safety, Security and Environment Regulation Regulatory services ensuring safety of vessels, crew, cargo and passengers, security of vessels and port facilities, and protection of the marine environment from vessel pollution. Targeted at ship owners, operators, vessel operators and ferry companies operating in Tanzanian waters.
• Maritime Transport Regulation (Shipping and Port Services Licensing) Regulates shipping agents, cargo consolidators, clearing and forwarding agents, port/terminal operators, dry port operators, miscellaneous port services, and gross mass verifiers through licensing and compliance oversight. Targeted at maritime service providers requiring statutory licenses to operate in Tanzania.
• Economic Regulation and Tariff Setting Monitors enforcement of economic regulations, reviews rates and charges, develops performance benchmarks, manages complaints, conducts surveys, and tracks economic dynamics in the maritime industry. Includes passenger tariffs on Lake Victoria routes (Mwanza-Bukoba, Mwanza-Nansio) and ferry service tariffs. Targeted at maritime service providers, ferry operators, and consumers of regulated shipping services.
• Patrol and Inspection Boats for Maritime Safety Modern patrol and inspection vessels deployed at Mtwara Port and Bukoba Port for maritime safety, security, and environmental protection regulatory operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increased government dividend contribution by 25% from TZS 16.37 billion to TZS 20.45 billion
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Maritime University (WMU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 July 2026WMU expressed interest in strengthening strategic collaboration with Tanzania in maritime education, professional development, research, and knowledge exchange. Discussions focused on student and staff exchange programs, joint capacity-building initiatives, and sharing of international best practices. TASAC reaffirmed commitment to partnerships advancing professional competence and sustainable maritime development.
• Women in Maritime Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2026WOMESA Tanzania chapter collaborated with TASAC for beach cleanup at Kawe to celebrate Africa Maritime Day. Joint environmental protection initiative.
• Beforward JapanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026Discussions held to improve vehicle shipping safety from Dar es Salaam Port. Topics included logistics challenges, safety standards, and streamlining the transport chain from port to inland clearance depots. TASAC committed to issuing guidance public notice on vehicle safety measures.
• National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Signed MoU for conducting census of vessels and shipyards for Mainland Tanzania 2026/27. Partnership to enhance maritime statistical data collection and analysis.
• European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2026EMSA conducted week-long inspection mission on Tanzania's Maritime Education and Training System. EMSA inspection team engaged with TASAC on maritime training and certification system assessment.
• Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026TASAC and ZMA collaborated to provide training for maritime inspectors. Inter-agency cooperation within Tanzania for maritime capacity building.
• Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Tanzania and Kenya signed important agreements to strengthen maritime transport sector. Bilateral cooperation between neighboring countries for maritime regulation and development.
• Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026DG KMA paid courtesy visit to TASAC. High-level engagement between Tanzanian and Kenyan maritime authorities.
• Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Signed MoU for cooperation in maritime transport matters. Represents bilateral maritime administration collaboration between Tanzania and Liberia.
• Tanzania Red Cross Society (Msalaba Mwekundu)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Joint initiative to provide rescue education in Kigoma. Partnership for maritime safety awareness and search and rescue training.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• World Maritime University (WMU): WMU is the IMO-founded postgraduate maritime university offering capacity building in maritime safety, policy, and law. WMU and TASAC signed a strategic collaboration MoU (Jul 2026) for maritime education, research, and staff exchange, making WMU an enabling/adjacent partner rather than a direct competitor.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO): The United Nations specialized agency that sets global maritime safety, security, and environmental standards. IMO is an indirect peer — it does not regulate operators but rather sets the conventions TASAC implements domestically; both EMSA inspection activities and TASAC's seafarer certification regime are aligned to IMO frameworks.
• Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA): TPA is the state-owned port operator responsible for operating Tanzania's seaports (including Dar es Salaam and Mtwara). While TPA operates the physical port assets rather than regulating them, it is a critical ecosystem counterpart — TASAC regulates TPA's tariffs and service standards, making TPA a closely related ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA): Liberia's maritime regulator administering maritime safety, security, environmental protection, and seafarer certification under a statutory framework. LiMA is a TASAC bilateral partner (MoU Feb 2026), confirming direct peer equivalence in mandate and operating model.
• Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA): Zanzibar's sub-national maritime regulator with jurisdiction over Tanzanian archipelago waters. ZMA is a direct functional peer to TASAC and an active inter-agency partner (joint inspector training, May 2026) — peer relationship is high despite geographic carve-out from TASAC's Mainland-only mandate.
• South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA): South Africa's national maritime safety, security, and environmental protection authority with regulatory functions over vessel registration, seafarer certification, and maritime incident investigation. SAMSA operates a similar statutory model to TASAC across a larger jurisdiction, making it a clear functional peer.
• Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA): Nigeria's federal maritime regulatory agency overseeing maritime safety, security, shipping promotion, and seafarer training/regulation. NIMASA's broad regulatory scope — including cabotage enforcement and shipping development — closely parallels TASAC's maritime transport regulation mandate.
• Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA): Kenya's national maritime regulator with mandate over maritime safety, security, port services regulation, and seafarer certification — directly comparable to TASAC in scope and statutory model. KMA is also an active TASAC partner (bilateral MoU May 2026), underscoring peer equivalence.
• Ghana Maritime Authority: Ghana's statutory maritime regulatory body with mandate over maritime safety, security, port regulation, and shipping services. Comparable to TASAC in scope and statutory form, serving as a West African functional peer for the same regulatory categories.

Broad incumbents

• European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA): EMSA is the EU-level maritime safety, security, and environmental agency with broader regulatory oversight across European member states. It recently conducted a maritime training inspection of TASAC (May 2026), positioning EMSA as both an upstream standard-setter and a regional incumbent relative to TASAC's national scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tasac_tz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXnvPJH90i97dIa3DCIVerA
• Facebookfacebook.com/100066430311185
• Instagraminstagram.com/tasac_tz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tasac

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about tasac