Kinshasa, May 5th, 2026 (CPA) – Tanzania Shipping Company Limited (TASHICO) and Congolese Shipping Lines S.A. (LMC) on Monday in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, entered into a partnership to maximize the economic benefits of the Central Corridor along its stretch between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, CPA learned on Tuesday from an administrative source. “Together, we are stronger. This synergy between LMC and TASHICO is a historic opportunity to facilitate trade and transit in the sub-region. It helps maximize the economic benefits of the Central Corridor,” said Saidi Juma Mchana, Tanzania’s ambassador to the DRC. According to the diplomat, the stakes go beyond a mere protocol framework, as by leveraging the complementarity between the two oceans, the two countries are targeting a vast market of more than 160 million consumers. Mr. Mchana indicated that the objective is to build a unified maritime transport architecture to ensure the well-being of their respective populations while maximizing the economic benefits for both nations. The Board of Directors of Congolese Shipping Lines (LMC), under the leadership of Lambert Mende, welcomed this initiative based on two strategic pillars, namely geopositioning—making the DRC and Tanzania a natural bridge between Africa’s two maritime fronts—and the legal framework through the implementation of the Memorandum of Engagement (MoE), which will serve as a roadmap for this cooperation. Both parties agreed on the immediate establishment of focal points to turn these discussions into tangible results. These will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of joint projects upon the official signing of the memorandum of understanding. By positioning themselves as drivers of the Central Corridor, LMC S.A. and TASHICO are not merely transporting goods; they are shaping the contours of strengthened African logistics sovereignty.
For Lambert Mende and his Tanzanian counterparts, the course is now set: smooth, secure, and mutually beneficial regional integration. In terms of economic impact, this initiative aims to transform the Central Corridor into a “growth engine” by facilitating the export of Congolese minerals and the import of goods, thereby boosting competitiveness and the economic sovereignty of the DRC beyond reliance on southern routes.
It should be noted that this high-level meeting brought together the Chairman of TASHICO, Mr. John Mbungo, the CEO, Mr. Eric B. Hamissi, as well as expert Me Flory Okandju Okonge. It is part of a drive to materialize the synergy between the two maritime giants.