Geza Ulole
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Dalbit International, BSL Infrastructure win Tazama oil storage deal
FRIDAY JUNE 25 2021
By Alex Nelson Malanga
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Dar es Salaam. Tazama Pipelines Limited (Tazama) yesterday signed a deal with a consortium of two firms to build a fuel depot with a capacity to hold 120,000m3 of fuel.
Tazama will hand over a site to Dalbit International (Dalbit) and BSL Infrastructure (BSL) in an official ceremony to commence construction of Tanzania’s largest fuel depot site, the company said in a statement yesterday.
It stated that the ground-breaking storage facility will transform Zambia’s fuel supply.
Currently, petroleum products imported into Zambia via Tanzania were stored in multiple facilities across Dar es Salaam because no single facility had enough capacity to meet the demand.
This means that oil marketers in Zambia and Tanzania have had to pay multiple companies for storing fuel, a matter that increases costs.
The new facility, to be build at Kigamboni in Dar es Salaam, will be able to hold 80,000 cubic metres of diesel and 40,000 cubic metres of petrol.
This means that it will be able to store all petroleum products headed for Zambia and drastically improve time and cost efficiencies for oil-marketers.
“Crucially, increasing storage capacity will boost the supply of fuel, helping to alleviate fuel shortages, which is vital for the sustainable development of Zambia,” Tazama said yesterday.
The consortium will build, finance, and operate the site on behalf of Tazama.
The construction, set to take two years, will begin this August and will employ over 250 Tanzanians.
Ensuring local capacity building, technology and knowledge transfer is central to the project, which complements both the government of the Republic of Zambia and that of the United Republic of Tanzania’s efforts to grow their economies.
Dalbit and BSL have a proud history of delivery in Tanzania and Zambia.
They have built 9 fuel depots since 2011, adding nearly over 90 million litres of storage capacity.
All projects have been completed on time, on budget and without any workplace injuries. 2,000 local workers were used to assist in construction.
Dalbit and BSL has always formed close bonds with the local communities in which it operates and supports people even in the most challenging of times.
In Tanzania, Dalbit donated medical equipment for people living with disabilities and hospital beds to equip the children’s ward at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute.
Dalbit also donated motorcycles to the Tanzanian police to prop up security in the country in 2014.
Last year in Zambia, $200,000 worth of PPE equipment was delivered to the Ministry of Health and the Beit-CURE hospital in Lusaka to support Covid-19 testing and enhance infection control and protection.
BSL also donated paediatric equipment, valued at $145,000, to the Arthur Davidson Children’s Hospital in 2019.
A spokesperson for Dalbit and BSL said: “We are delighted to begin construction on a project that will have such a transformational effect for the Zambian economy, while also providing exciting job opportunities for hundreds of Tanzanians.
“Fuel storage is a vital part of any country’s energy network, and we look forward to contributing towards the national development of both countries through the successful completion of this exciting public-private partnership.”
Dalbit International, BSL Infrastructure win Tazama oil storage deal
Tazama Pipelines Limited (Tazama) yesterday signed a deal with a consortium of two firms to build a fuel depot with a capacity to hold 120,000m3 of fuel.
Red flag against Dalbit’s highly inflated Tazama tank farm project
ippmedia.com/en/business/red-flag-against-dalbit%E2%80%99s-highly-inflated-tazama-tank-farm-projectFebruary 16, 2018
16Feb 2018
Finnigan wa Simbeye
Business
The Guardian
Red flag against Dalbit’s highly inflated Tazama tank farm project
THERE is concern among local contractors that a tender for the construction of a tank farm for Zambia Tanzania oil pipeline (Tazama) at Kigamboni in Dar es Salaam at U$ 288m has been grossly inflated by Kenyan based Dalbit International.
Sources told Property Watch that the three oil tanks each with capacity of 40,000 cubic metres was supposed to cost only U$ 65.5m as several other international construction companies which submitted their bids indicated.
“Dalbit’s bid was one of highest but the company ended up winning the tender for no good reason,” one of the local contractors lamented saying officials from both Lusaka and Dar es Salaam have colluded with the Kenyan based company.
The tender which has stirred controversy in Zambia which owns 65 percent of Tazama against 35 percent for Tanzania, was awarded to Dalbit last month. While the three tanks with capacity of 120,000 cubic metres fetch U$ 288, a similar project in Kenya with capacity of 110,000 cubic metres has only fetched U$ 60m.
Other international companies which submitted their bids for the tender were Zakhem International which also took part in the construction of Tazama pipeline in 1970s, China State Construction and Engineering, China Petroleum Engineering Company Limited and Fei MAC Limited.
“We call upon government agencies responsible for this project to intervene because taxpayers money is being embezzled,” said the sources at Tazama Pipelines offices in the commercial capital.
When contacted to explain reasons behind the awarding of the contract to one of the highest bidders, an official from Tazama tender board said the decision was done in Lusaka. “If you want any clarification then please contact Zambian Energy Minister, David Mabumba or Permanent Secretary Emelda Chola,” the official who refused to be identified said.
The Zambian media has also criticised the awarding of the contract saying the minister and his permanent secretary have to explain to taxpayers reasons behind the awarding of the tender to Dalbit International which is basically a cargo transportation company.
MY TAKE
This company Dalbit is corrupt and should be avoided at anya cost! Tanzania being a shareholder in TAZAMA should execute her rights to have a diligent company! The cost of this project will make the TAZAMEW pipeline being not competitive to the pipeline from Angola! Plse don't allow Kenyan companies with conflict interests to build our stategic infrastructure!
