DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 22 -- LONG before a container reaches a warehouse, retail outlet or factory in Tanzania or another country, its journey begins where the Indian Ocean meets the mainland. At Dar es Salaam Port, that journey is measured in more than containers and tonnes of cargo.

It is reflected in the movement of businesses, industries, consumers and entire economies. Every vessel arriving at the port carries goods destined for markets. Every container leaving its gates represents another link in a supply chain connecting the Indian Ocean with cities and towns across Tanzania and the wider East and Central African region.

As trade volumes grow, however, the infrastructure supporting that movement faces increasing pressure. It is agai...