The port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania

How to find a cargo ship to the Comoros? The story begins in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. It is the end of 2025. I have no idea yet that this story will only truly come to an end six months later. But foremost, I’m trying to find a cargo ship bound for the Comoros from the port. Not an easy task – as it will soon turn out. Tanzania’s main port is huge. After numerous attempts, I finally find the right section, from which the ships set sail for the Comoros. Port 1 – just a few hundred metres west of the point where the ferries to Zanzibar depart. However, I have only managed the easiest part so far. The place is chaotic. A few porters are loitering around, looking for work. A man on a bicycle is selling coconuts. People with accreditation and yellow high-visibility vests are coming and going.

Research for information

I spend the next few days gathering information. It’s not that easy. The harbour is the sort of place where you ask five people and get five different answers. You get everything from ‘no problem’ to ‘possible’ to ‘impossible’. Getting into the harbour proves difficult. Security regulations, mistrust and communication problems make everything difficult. I can’t get the chance to speak directly to a captain. And then there’s the problem with Mayotte. The small French overseas department attracts illegal immigrants. As a result, ships heading for the southernmost island of the Comoros don’t take passengers on board.

New hopes in Kilwa

With a heavy heart, after two weeks I set off for Kilwa, where another opportunity happens to present itself. A Comoran cargo ship is anchored in the small harbour; the harbour is almost freely accessible, and the captain sees no problem in taking me on board. “We’re just waiting for some cargo, but we want to set off afterwards. Maybe in a week.” Finally, more than a month will pass before the ship finally sets sail. With no definite information and plenty of “maybes”. Anyone lacking patience will learn it here. When the time finally comes, I have no idea what kind of odyssey I’m embarking on. For me, it will even end in prison…

Information

The port in Dar es Salaam: Gate 1 or Gate 2 (near the Central Police Station/Tanzania Port Authorities Headquarters)

the location: -6.823102, 39.285691 (Google Maps)

Price: Negotiable (between €150 and €200). Passengers from Tanzania and the Comoros pay 400,000 TZS (approximately €140 at the time)