East Africa Logistics Corridors: Mombasa, Dar es Salaam and Regional Trade

More than a dozen countries in eastern and central Africa have no coastline, or depend on a neighbour's port for much of their trade. For Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, South Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the link to the sea runs along a few long routes from the Indian Ocean. These East Africa logistics corridors decide how fast goods arrive, how much they cost and how reliable supply chains can be.

This hub guide explains what the corridors are, who coordinates them, how each one reaches the Great Lakes region, how rail, lake and air fit in, and what regional integration has changed. It links to our detailed guides wherever you want to go deeper.

What a logistics corridor is

A logistics corridor is a connected system for moving goods between a seaport and an inland region. It includes:

• the port where ships are loaded and unloaded;
• the roads, railways, inland waterways and pipelines leading inland;
• inland depots, warehouses and dry ports along the way;
• the border posts between countries;
• the agreements and procedures that let goods cross several countries under customs control;
• the institutions that coordinate all of the above.

Corridors matter because a landlocked importer's costs are shaped less by the ocean voyage than by what happens between the port and the door. A well-run corridor shortens waiting times at the port and borders, keeps transit procedures simple and gives transport companies the confidence to invest.

The Northern Corridor

The Northern Corridor begins at the port of Mombasa, operated by the Kenya Ports Authority (opens in a new tab). It runs through Kenya to Uganda, and from there to Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DRC and South Sudan.

Its coordinating body is the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (opens in a new tab) (NCTTCA). Member states: Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda.

Key features for shippers:

• a well-established road route across Kenya and Uganda;
• the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (opens in a new tab), launched by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda in 2017, which monitors transit trucks with electronic seals;
• direct access from Uganda into North Kivu, as well as routes through Rwanda to Goma and Bukavu.

Read our step-by-step guide to shipping cargo from Mombasa and the port-stage explainer on transit cargo from Mombasa.

The Central Corridor

The Central Corridor begins at the port of Dar es Salaam, operated by the Tanzania Ports Authority (opens in a new tab). It crosses Tanzania to Rwanda, Burundi, the DRC, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi.

Its coordinating body is the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (opens in a new tab) (CCTTFA), based in Dar es Salaam. Member states: Burundi, the DRC, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia (Malawi and Zambia joined in 2023).

Key features for shippers:

• direct road access to Rwanda at Rusumo and Burundi at Kobero/Kabanga;
• a southern branch through Zambia to the DRC copper belt around Lubumbashi;
• rail and lake options: the central railway to Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika and the TAZARA line to Zambia.

Read our guide to shipping cargo from Dar es Salaam and transit cargo from Dar es Salaam.

How East Africa logistics corridors reach the Great Lakes

The table shows why the corridors are as much partners as competitors. Many destinations are served by both, and shippers switch between them as conditions change. For a detailed head-to-head, read Northern Corridor vs Central Corridor and Mombasa vs Dar es Salaam.

Rail, lake and air links

Rail. On the Central Corridor, Tanzania's central railway connects Dar es Salaam with Kigoma, and the TAZARA railway (opens in a new tab) connects Tanzania with Zambia. Rail can suit heavy, bulk and non-urgent goods, though every switch between modes adds handling.

Lakes. Lake Tanganyika links Kigoma with Bujumbura and with ports on the Congolese shore. On Lake Kivu, Rwanda's Rubavu Port became operational in December 2024 and serves trade with Goma and North Kivu, according to the Rwanda Ministry of Infrastructure (opens in a new tab).

Air. For urgent, high-value and perishable goods, air cargo into regional airports such as Kigali bypasses the corridors altogether. See our air freight in Rwanda service.

Road still carries most cargo to the Great Lakes region because it is flexible, door-to-door and available from almost any origin.

Customs integration along the corridors

Regional integration has removed many of the stops that once slowed corridor traffic.

The Single Customs Territory (SCT). Within the East African Community, goods for partner states applying the SCT, including Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, are declared once in the destination country. The destination authority collects the duties and authorises release at the port, while the port country supervises the goods until they leave (TRA explainer (opens in a new tab)).

Electronic cargo tracking. On the Northern Corridor, RECTS monitors transit trucks with electronic seals, replacing physical escorts and reducing stops.

Transit regimes for non-SCT destinations. Cargo for the DRC still moves in transit through the corridor countries, with declarations and guarantees in each, and is imported through the DRC's customs authority, the DGDA. Our guide to DRC customs clearance for transit cargo explains the stages, and Burundi customs clearance covers an SCT destination.

Regional trade and the corridors

The corridors do not only carry imports from overseas. They also carry regional trade: Kenyan and Tanzanian manufactured goods sold into Rwanda, Burundi and the DRC; agricultural products moving between neighbours; and exports from the interior heading to the coast. The DRC's membership of the East African Community since 2022 adds to that potential, even though its customs procedures remain its own.

For businesses, this means the same corridor that brings in a container from Asia can also carry goods bought in Nairobi or Arusha. Our guides to road freight from Kenya and road freight from Tanzania cover the overland side.

Challenges on East African corridors

The corridors work, but they are not frictionless. The main challenges shippers face are:

• Border disruptions. Health, security and political events can close or slow crossings. In 2026 the Goma–Rubavu posts closed for about a month after an Ebola case in Goma (The EastAfrican (opens in a new tab)), and Burundi's land border with Rwanda stayed closed to people (KT Press (opens in a new tab)).
• Port congestion at busy times.
• Road works, accidents and weather on long road sections.
• Container returns from deep inland, which can lead to detention charges.
• Document errors that hold trucks at ports and borders.
• Different rules in each country, even within the EAC.

None of these can be eliminated by a single shipper, but all of them can be managed with good planning and up-to-date information.

How to choose a corridor for your cargo

1. Start with the destination. Burundi and Lubumbashi favour the Central Corridor; northern North Kivu favours the Northern Corridor via Uganda; Kigali, Goma and Bukavu are open to both.
2. Check the ocean side. Which port does your shipping line serve best from the origin?
3. Consider the cargo. Fragile goods prefer fewer hand-overs; bulk goods may benefit from rail or lake.
4. Look at current conditions. Ports, roads and borders change.
5. Compare total door-to-door costs, including the container return.
6. Keep a fallback. Know which alternative you would use if a border closes.

Our freight routes page shows every lane we operate on both corridors.

How Haraka Freight fits in

Haraka Freight International is a logistics company based in Kigali, at the meeting point of both corridors. In Eastern Africa we deliver practical transportation, warehousing and distribution services in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, and transit commodities to Goma and Bukavu. We help shippers choose the right corridor for each consignment and manage the whole journey: port release, transit declarations, trucking, border crossings, clearance, storage and delivery. Learn more about our network and our cross-border logistics service.

Conclusion

East Africa's logistics corridors are the lifelines of the Great Lakes region. The Northern Corridor from Mombasa and the Central Corridor from Dar es Salaam both reach Rwanda, Burundi and the DRC, each with strengths that suit different destinations and cargo. Regional customs integration and tracking have made them easier to use, but borders and conditions still change. Choosing the right corridor for each shipment, and planning it end to end, is what turns a long journey into a reliable one. To plan your next shipment, request a quote.

Sources: NCTTCA (opens in a new tab); CCTTFA (opens in a new tab); Kenya Ports Authority (opens in a new tab); Tanzania Ports Authority (opens in a new tab); WCO, RECTS (2017) (opens in a new tab); TRA, Single Customs Territory (opens in a new tab); TAZARA (opens in a new tab); Rwanda MININFRA, Rubavu Port (opens in a new tab); The EastAfrican (2026) (opens in a new tab); KT Press (2026) (opens in a new tab).

Published 14 October 2026 · Last updated 14 October 2026

Haraka Freight International Logistics Team

Haraka Freight International Ltd is a logistics company based at Ituze House, KG 11 Avenue, Bibare, Kigali, Rwanda. We handle freight forwarding, customs clearance, IOR/EOR and DDP shipments, warehousing, trucking and regional distribution in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, with transit cargo to Goma and Bukavu.