Development of Tanzania maritime safety administration

The Tanzania Merchant Shipping Act 1967 was enacted by the parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania and came into operation on 1 December, 1967. The objective of the Act is to make provision for control, regulation and orderly development of Merchant Shipping. The Directorate of Shipping under the Minister responsible for communication is responsible for the implementation of this Act. The Directorate of Shipping is a government machinery to satisfactorily and efficiently undertake those functions which are embodied within the Merchant Shipping Act 1967. Since 1967 the Directorate of Shipping which is also responsible for the maritime safety administration, has never changed its administrative structure. It is also true that the merchant Shipping Act itself has never been updated since then. Considering the various developments which have taken place in the international shipping industry, and the adoption of various international conventions, twenty years is rather too long for an organization such as the maritime safety administration to remain unrestructured. This study is aimed at analysing the present structure and functions of the maritime safety administration in the country. The study will then make some propositions on the structure and the functions of the administration in an attempt to update and make it more effective to the shipping industry. The propositions will be entirely based within the International Maritime Organization\u27s Conventions which are currently in force