Zambia and Tanzania plan to build a refined products pipeline to transport petroleum between the two countries at a cost of $1.5 billion, Tanzania’s Energy minister said on Tuesday.
Zambia, Africa’s top copper producer, imports most of its petroleum requirements, mainly from the Middle East, through the port of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.
According to Tanzania Energy Minister, Medard Kalemani the pipeline will run from the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam to Zambia’s mining city of Ndola, some 1,349 km away.
Kalemani did not give a time frame for the project’s kick off, but projects the completion of a feasibility study in the upcoming fiscal year. He also gave no financing details..
“The project will reduce challenges in transporting petroleum products in the countries that use our ports to import fuel and open up business opportunities,” he adds.
The project will be implemented jointly by Zambia and Tanzania.