The Ferries Act

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CHAPTER 173
THE FERRIES ACT
[PRINCIPAL LEGISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title and interpretation.
2. Public ferries.
3. Pubic ferries vested in the Minister.
4. Responsibilities of Agency.
5. Regulatory roles of Corporation.
6. Licence to ply for hire on public ferry.
7. Mandate to provide ferry services.
8–10. Repealed.
11. Complaints handling and court redress
12. Recovery of fee and cancellation of licence if fee unpaid.
13. Regulations.
14. Prohibition of maintenance of ferry within prescribed distance of public ferry.
15. General penalty.
16. Savings of permits lawfully granted by or on behalf of Government.
17. Repealed.
18. Omitted.
SCHEDULE

tance of public ferry.
15. General penalty.
16. Savings of permits lawfully granted by or on behalf of Government.
17. Repealed.
18. Omitted.
SCHEDULE

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1.–(1) This Act may be cited as the Ferries Act.

rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.610
1.–(1) This Act may be cited as the Ferries Act.

(2) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
“Agency” means Tanzania Electrical Mechanical and
Electronics Services Agency established under the
Executive Agencies Act;
“Corporation” means the Tanzania Shipping Agencies
Corporation established under section 4 of the Tanzania
Shipping Agencies Act;
“ferry” includes a boat or ship other than boat or ship
owned or operated by security forces, whether owned
by the Government or private person, for conveyance of
passengers or goods in a passage over any river, arm of
the sea, lake or part of a lake from any place to which the
public has access to any other place;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for works;
“public ferry” means a passage over an area of water declared
to be a public ferry under section 2;
“ship” means a floating vessel which is self-propelled and
capable of carrying passengers or cargo and includes
every description of vessel used in navigation;
“Tribunal” means the Fair Competition Tribunal established
by section 84 of the Fair Competition Act. Short title and
interpretation
Acts Nos. 13 of 2019 s. 10
14 of 2017 s. 76
Cap. 245
Cap. 415
Cap.

tablished
by section 84 of the Fair Competition Act. Short title and
interpretation
Acts Nos. 13 of 2019 s. 10
14 of 2017 s. 76
Cap. 245
Cap. 415
Cap.

285
CHAPTER 173
THE FERRIES ACT
An Act to provide for the control of public ferries. [15th November, 1929]
Ords. Nos. 32 of 1928
11 of 1929
46 of 1951
Acts Nos. 11 0f 2000
9 of 2001
14 of 2017
13 of 2019
G.N. No. 478 of 1962

c ferries. [15th November, 1929]
Ords. Nos. 32 of 1928
11 of 1929
46 of 1951
Acts Nos. 11 0f 2000
9 of 2001
14 of 2017
13 of 2019
G.N. No. 478 of 1962

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THE FERRIES ACT [CAP. 173 R.E. 2023]
2.–(1) The Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette,
declare that the passage over any river, arm of the sea, lake or
part of a lake from any place to which the public have access to
any other such place is a public ferry. (2) Where any such passage as aforesaid exists over any
water forming a boundary of Tanzania the Minister may
declare that such part of such passage as lies within Tanzania
shall be a public ferry within the meaning of this Act. 3. Upon the declaration of any passage as a public ferry under
this Act all rights in respect thereto and over the soil thereunder
shall vest in the Minister. 4.–(1) The Agency shall be responsible for-
(a) management and operation of Government owned ferries;
(b) provision of ferry services;
(c) management and control of public ferries; and
(d) maintenance of safe and efficient ferry services.

wned ferries;
(b) provision of ferry services;
(c) management and control of public ferries; and
(d) maintenance of safe and efficient ferry services.

(2) In exercising its responsibilities, the Agency shall have
regard to the principle of safety, security and protection
of environment as provided for under the Merchant
Shipping Act. [s. 3A]
5.–(1) The Corporation shall regulate compliance of the Agency
or such other person licenced to provide ferry services on
matters relating to safety, security and prevention of pollution. (2) In exercising its regulatory role under this Act, the
Corporation shall comply with the provisions of the Merchant
Shipping Act. [s. 3B]
6. A person shall not for hire or reward convey passengers
or cargo of any description over a public ferry unless he is
authorised to do so by a licence issued under this Act. [s. 4]
Public ferries
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 11
GN. No. 478 of 1962
Pubic ferries
vested in the
Minister
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 12
GN. No. 478 of 1962
Responsibilities
of Agency
Act. No. 13 of 2019 s. 13
Cap. 165
Regulatory roles
of Corporation
Act No
13 of 2019 s. 13
Cap. 165
Licence to ply for
hire on public
ferry

of Agency
Act. No. 13 of 2019 s. 13
Cap. 165
Regulatory roles
of Corporation
Act No
13 of 2019 s. 13
Cap. 165
Licence to ply for
hire on public
ferry

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612
7.–(1) The Agency shall have exclusive mandate to provide
ferry services on a public ferry. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1), the
Agency may, upon consultation with the Corporation, license
any person to provide ferry services on a public ferry. (3) The Minister may make regulations for-
(a) issuance and management of licence;
(b) fees for issuance for licence; and
(c) any other matter that he considers necessary for better
implementation of this section. [s. 5]
8.–10. [Repealed by Act No. 13 of 2019 s 15.]
[ss. 6-8]
11.–(1) A person aggrieved by the decision of the Agency
under this Act may, within twenty one days from the date of
the decision, lodge a written complaint to the Minister. (2) The manner and procedure of handling complaints by
the Minister shall be as prescribed in the regulations. (3) A person aggrieved by a decision of the Minister made
or given pursuant to this Act may, within thirty days from the
date on which the decision is given or made, seek redress in
the High Court. [s.

r made
or given pursuant to this Act may, within thirty days from the
date on which the decision is given or made, seek redress in
the High Court. [s.

9]
12. Any part of the fee for a licence which remains unpaid after
the licence shall have become due may be recovered as a debt
due to the public revenue of the Government:
Provided that, if any part of such fee shall remain unpaid for
twenty one days or more after the licence shall have become
due, the Minister may, without prior notice to the licensee,
cancel the licence, without prejudice to recovery of such part
of the fee which shall then be due and unpaid. [s. 10]
Mandate to
provide ferry
services
Act. No. 13 of 2019 s. 14
Repealed
Complaints
handling and
court redress
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 16
Recovery of fee
and cancellation
of licence if fee
unpaid

No. 13 of 2019 s. 14
Repealed
Complaints
handling and
court redress
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 16
Recovery of fee
and cancellation
of licence if fee
unpaid

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THE FERRIES ACT [CAP. 173 R.E. 2023]
13. The Minister may make regulations for any of the following
purposes:
(a) prescribing the fees which may be charged for the
conveyance of passengers or cargo of any description
over any public ferry;
(b) ferry services management and operations; and
(c) any other matters for which the Minister considers
necessary for proper implementation of this Act. [s. 11]
14.–(1) A person shall not establish, maintain or operate a
ferry within two miles upon either side of a public ferry or
within such distance as the Minister may prescribe. (2) A person shall not carry on any activity within the
prescribed distance of a public ferry which is likely to
interfere with ferry service operations or pollute public ferry
environment. (3) A person who contravenes the provisions of this section
commits an offence and on conviction shall be liable to fine
of not less than fifty thousand shillings but not exceeding ten
million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
six months or to both. [s. 12]
15.

s than fifty thousand shillings but not exceeding ten
million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
six months or to both. [s. 12]
15.

A person who contravenes any of the provision of this Act
for which no specific penalty is provided, commits an offence
and on conviction shall be liable to a fine of not less than fifty
thousand shillings but not exceeding one million shillings or
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or
to both. [s. 13]
16. No permit or other authority lawfully granted before the
commencement of this Act by or on behalf of the Government
to any person for the carriage of passengers or cargo of any
description over any public ferry for hire or reward shall be
Regulations
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 17
GN. No. 478 of 1962
Prohibition of
maintenance
of ferry within
prescribed
distance of public
ferry
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 18
General penalty
Act. No. 13 of 2019 s. 19
Savings of
permits lawfully
granted by or
on behalf of
Government

e of public
ferry
Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 18
General penalty
Act. No. 13 of 2019 s. 19
Savings of
permits lawfully
granted by or
on behalf of
Government

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.THE FERRIES ACT [CAP. 173 R.E. 2023]
614
deemed to be abridged by anything contained in this Act,
provided that the exercise of any right under any such permit
or authority shall be subject to any regulations made under this
Act in the same manner as the exercise of any right granted by
a licence under this Act.
[s. 14]
17. [Repealed by Act No. 13 of 2019 s. 20.]
[s. 15]
18. [Omitted.]
[s. 16]
SCHEDULE
[Omitted]
Repealed
Omitted