Golden Voyage 2 vessel at the Kigoma port during the ceremony
Chinese mining giant Zijin Mining has strengthened its African logistics network by launching four new cargo vessels on Lake Tanganyika, creating a faster transport route for critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Tanzania to global export markets.
The vessels, officially inaugurated by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Kigoma, form part of Zijin’s expanding multimodal transport corridor designed to improve the movement of copper, lithium and other strategic minerals from the DRC.
The project follows a concession agreement signed in 2025 that gave Zijin Mining operational responsibility for Kigoma Port and the Malindi Terminal at the Port of Dar es Salaam. As part of the investment, the company is modernising port infrastructure, expanding storage facilities and introducing advanced cargo-handling systems to improve efficiency.
Each of the four new vessels has a carrying capacity of approximately 2,000 tonnes and will transport minerals across Lake Tanganyika from Kalemie in the DRC to Kigoma before cargo continues by road and rail to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean ports.
The new transport corridor is expected to significantly reduce logistics costs and improve export reliability for mining companies operating in Central Africa.
The development is particularly important for Zijin’s Manono North East Lithium Project, one of the world’s largest undeveloped hard-rock lithium deposits. The company recently completed its first lithium shipment using the new Lake Tanganyika route, highlighting the corridor’s growing importance in global battery mineral supply chains.
Tanzania Ports Authority officials confirmed that two additional vessels are expected to join the fleet, further increasing transport capacity on the lake and strengthening regional trade links.
The investment comes as global competition intensifies to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies and advanced manufacturing. Tanzania’s expanding transport infrastructure is positioning the country as a key gateway for mineral exports from the DRC and neighbouring countries.
The Lake Tanganyika corridor also complements the ongoing rehabilitation of the TAZARA railway, another major infrastructure project aimed at improving mineral exports through East Africa. Together, these developments reinforce Tanzania’s strategic role in connecting Central African mining operations with international markets while offering an alternative export route alongside the US and EU-backed Lobito Corridor in Angola.
As demand for critical minerals continues to grow, investments in transport infrastructure are becoming as important as mining projects themselves, helping African producers improve efficiency, attract investment and strengthen their position within global supply chains.