Air Tanzania (TC, Dar es Salaam) has taken delivery of its first widebody freighter following the arrival of B767-300F 5H-TCO (msn 67788) in East Africa on Saturday, June 3.
The new-build jet was ferried from Everett, where it was handed over to lessor TGF - Tanzania Government Flight on June 1, to Dar es Salaam via Casablanca Mohamed V.
Briefing members of the media in Dar es Salaam, Works and Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said the freighter would allow local farmers to export fish, meat, flowers, vegetables, and fruit to markets across Africa, Europe, and Asia without having to rely on foreign operators.
"We expect that when the plane starts operations it will reduce costs to traders in transporting their goods, as presently they incur extra costs when using charter planes and scarce regular flights, plying each destination twice per week," he was quoted by The Citizen newspaper.
Once all regulatory procedures have been completed likely in July, 5H-TCO's initial destinations will include Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), Dubai (UAE), Mumbai International (India), Entebbe (Uganda), Guangzhou (China), Lusaka (Zambia), Harare International (Zimbabwe), and Kinshasa N'Djili (Democratic Republic of the Congo), among others, Mbarawa said adding that it will also be availed for charters should demand arise.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows state-owned Air Tanzania operates four A220-300s (three stored), two B787-8s, one Dash 8-300 (stored), and five Dash 8-400s, all of which are leased from TGF. Barring any unforeseen production delays at Boeing (BOE, Washington National), it is also expecting two B737-9s in August and December 2023, and one more B787-8 in February 2024. Last month, Mbarawa alluded to plans to acquire a first B737-7 as well as one more Dash 8-400 although no firm orders have yet been publicly announced.
