The Mtwara Port (Port Code:TZMYW) has historically handled very little cargo due to the lack of large industries in the city of Mtwara in southern Tanzania. However, in the years of 2010-2011 the increased activity in oil and gas natural resources energy exploration caused a surge on operations. The major export out of the port has always been cashew nuts. The Port has a quay wall of 385m and can handle two ships and one ocean ship at once. Previously the port could only dock ships of length up to 175m however with recent renovations in 2015, the port could dock a 209m ship in February 2015. The port handles 400,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually and constitutes to less than 5% of the total countries cargo movement, however, the government plans to upgrade the port drastically to facilitate trade in the southern part of the country.
The Mtwara port is also an integral part of the Mtwara Development Corridor project and has recently saw major upgrades. The port also has a special economic zone attached to it and In December 2015 Alistair Freeports Limited injected $700,000 to upgrade the Export processing zone around the port area.