Mwanza — Tanzania has officially commissioned the MV New Mwanza, Africa’s largest freshwater passenger vessel, in a major boost to transport and trade on Lake Victoria.
Launched on January 23, 2026, in Mwanza, the ship was built at a cost of over Shs120 billion by Korean firms Gas Entec Ship-Building Engineering and Kang Nam Corporation in partnership with Suma JKT, and is operated by the Tanzania Shipping Company (Tashico).
The four-deck vessel can carry 1,200 passengers, 20 vehicles and 400 tonnes of cargo, and is expected to cut travel time on the Mwanza–Bukoba route to about six to seven hours.
Speaking at the launch, Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba urged authorities to apply skills gained during construction to future projects and called on Tashico to prioritise safety, maintenance and regional cooperation.
“He urged the Ministry of Transport to ensure that the skills gained during the ship’s construction are applied in future projects,” Dr Nchemba said.
Tashico CEO Eric Hamissi described MV New Mwanza as “the largest freshwater vessel in Africa” and said the project helped build local technical capacity.
Transport Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa assured passengers that fares would remain affordable, while Parliament’s Infrastructure Committee chairperson Selemani Kakoso praised the government for completing the project and called for continued infrastructure development.
The MV New Mwanza is expected to significantly improve connectivity and economic activity across Lake Victoria and the wider East African region.
