By Adeline Remmy Ndesanjo
The Ocean is Calling: The air in the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center in Dar es Salaam was thick with anticipation. In July 2024, maritime experts, policymakers, and academics from across the African continent—from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Kenya, and beyond—had gathered for the 3rd Blue Economy Conference (BEC2024). The theme, emblazoned on banners and programs, was “Navigating the Future: Integrating Maritime Safety and Security, Climate Change Actions and Technological Advancements for the Blue Economy.” It was a phrase that captured not just the agenda for the two-day event, but the life’s work of the woman at its center: Professor Tumaini Shabani Gurumo.
As Rector of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI), the conference’s co-organizer, Prof. Gurumo was more than a host. She was the intellectual anchor, the convener who had brought these disparate minds together. Moving through the halls, she greeted a permanent secretary here, a guest speaker from the Maritime Organisation for West and Central Africa there, her presence a quiet testament to a career spent building bridges—between nations, between academia and industry, and between Tanzania’s present challenges and its immense maritime potential. The conference itself was a landmark, a collaboration with the Regional Maritime University (RMU) of Ghana, embodying a principle she would later articulate: a deep-seated belief that “Africans can move together and achieve results.”
For Tanzania, a nation with a 1,500-kilometer coastline on the Indian Ocean, the stakes could not be higher. Its waters are a source of livelihood for millions, a conduit for global trade, and a frontier for untapped resources. Yet for decades, this potential remained largely latent, hampered by fragmented laws, underdeveloped institutions, and a lack of specialized human capital. To understand how this is beginning to change is to understand the journey of Prof. Gurumo. She represents a rare and powerful force in national development: a figure whose meticulous academic research has not gathered dust on a library shelf but has been forged into a blueprint for institutional transformation and national policy. She is not merely an observer of Tanzania’s maritime sector; she is one of its principal architects, a navigator charting a course for a nation whose future, she has persuasively argued, lies on the blue horizon.
A Scholar’s Journey Across Continents
Professor Gurumo’s capacity to envision and enact such profound change is rooted in a uniquely global and strategically sequenced education. Her intellectual journey forged a powerful trifecta of expertise: a deep understanding of Tanzanian law, a mastery of international maritime policy from a European perspective, and a practical grasp of the commercial and logistical realities of a global maritime superpower. This combination equipped her with a holistic viewpoint, allowing her to become a crucial bridge figure, capable of translating complex international conventions into workable domestic policy.
The anchor of her career was forged at home in Tanzania. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Tumaini University’s Iringa University College, providing her with a robust grounding in the legal system of the United Republic of Tanzania. This was complemented by a Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Centre for Foreign Relations in Dar es Salaam. This dual foundation was prescient, establishing from the outset a career that would operate at the intersection of domestic legal frameworks and the complex world of international affairs—a nexus where maritime law resides. This initial training ensured that her later, more specialized knowledge would always be applied with a nuanced understanding of Tanzania’s specific legal and political context.
The Global Maritime Classroom: Sweden and China
With her Tanzanian foundation secure, Prof. Gurumo sought a global perspective. She was accepted into the prestigious World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden, an institution established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to train maritime leaders. There, she earned a Master of Science (MSc.) in Maritime Affairs with a specialization in Law and Policy. The WMU experience was transformative, immersing her in the high-level policy frameworks of the United Nations and connecting her to a global network of maritime professionals. As chairperson of the World Maritime University Alumni Association – Tanzania Chapter (WMUTAA), she now leads a network of over 160 Tanzanian experts who have followed in her footsteps, collectively forming a critical mass of expertise for the nation’s maritime sector.
Following her master’s degree, she pursued a Doctor of Laws (Ph.D.) in International Maritime Law at Dalian Maritime University in the People’s Republic of China. This choice was as strategic as it was insightful. China, a dominant force in global shipping, shipbuilding, and port logistics, offered a different kind of classroom. Her studies in Dalian provided a pragmatic, commercially focused counterpoint to the policy-oriented education she received in Sweden. It gave her firsthand exposure to the operational scale and efficiency required of a major maritime nation, a crucial perspective for a scholar from a country seeking to develop its own maritime infrastructure and trade links. This experience bore immediate fruit; some of her earliest internationally published research on oil pollution liability was co-authored with her Dalian-based colleague, Han Lixin, demonstrating the immediate application of her expanding international network.
This carefully curated educational path was not accidental. A scholar with only a Tanzanian law degree might struggle with the intricacies of UNCLOS or MARPOL. An expert educated solely in Europe might propose theoretical models ill-suited to Tanzania’s unique political structure, particularly the complex legal relationship between the mainland and Zanzibar. An education focused only on the Chinese commercial model might overlook critical environmental and legal governance issues. Prof. Gurumo’s combined expertise allows her to see the entire system: how international law must be domesticated into Tanzanian law, accounting for political realities, to achieve the commercial and environmental goals exemplified by leading maritime nations.
Building a Career at DMI
Despite her global education and extensive international network, Prof. Gurumo’s career has been characterized by a profound commitment to a single institution: the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute. She began her tenure there as a lecturer in 2005, steadily rising through the ranks. Her deep understanding of the institute’s strengths and weaknesses, coupled with her growing academic stature, made her a natural leader. In 2013, she was appointed acting Deputy Principal, a position she held for two years before being confirmed in the fully-fledged role in 2015.
Her ascent culminated in her appointment as Rector of the Institute, placing her at the helm of the nation’s premier maritime training and education body. This long and consistent career path within DMI is significant. It demonstrates a deep institutional loyalty and has afforded her an unparalleled, ground-level understanding of the challenges and opportunities in Tanzanian maritime education. It is from this position—as a globally educated expert with nearly two decades of experience within the very institution tasked with training the next generation—that she has been able to launch her most transformative initiatives.
A Timeline of Impact
In the early 2000s, Professor Tumaini S. Gurumo laid the foundation for her career by earning an LL.B. from Tumaini University and a Diploma from the Centre for Foreign Relations in Tanzania, equipping her with strong legal and diplomatic skills. In 2005, she began teaching at the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI), marking the start of her long-standing commitment to maritime education.
By the mid-2000s, she advanced her expertise internationally by obtaining an MSc in Maritime Affairs from the World Maritime University in Sweden. Between 2012 and 2013, her influential publications on oil pollution in journals such as the International Journal of Environmental Science & Development positioned her as an authority in maritime environmental law. In 2013, she stepped into her first major leadership role as Acting Deputy Principal of DMI.
During the early to mid-2010s, she pursued a Ph.D. in International Maritime Law at Dalian Maritime University in China, gaining insights from one of the world’s major maritime nations. In 2017, she produced key publications on ship registration and pollution in the Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, critically diagnosing institutional challenges within Tanzania’s maritime sector.
As Rector and Associate Professor at DMI, Professor Gurumo has been at the helm of the institution, driving reforms and innovation. In 2021, she authored the seminal book UCHUMI WA BLUU: Fursa na Chachu ya Maendeleo, cementing her role as the leading public voice on Tanzania’s Blue Economy. In 2024, she forged a historic Pan-African partnership between DMI and the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Ghana, and more recently, she established an industry partnership with the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Company (TASHICO) to provide practical training pathways for students. She also serves as Chairperson of the World Maritime University Alumni Association (WMUTAA), leading a network of over 160 Tanzanian maritime professionals worldwide.
A Body of Research with a Purpose
Professor Gurumo’s scholarly output is not a disparate collection of academic exercises. Viewed chronologically, it reveals a systematic, multi-year diagnostic project aimed at identifying and dissecting the critical legal and institutional weaknesses that have historically constrained Tanzania’s maritime sector. Her research follows a clear and logical progression, moving from external threats to internal systemic failures and, finally, to functional weaknesses in commercial regulation. This body of work effectively created a comprehensive, evidence-based roadmap for national maritime reform, making her eventual transition from academic to policy shaper not just likely, but inevitable.
The Pollution Problem – Liability and Prevention
Her early research focused on one of the most pressing external threats facing any coastal nation: marine pollution. In a 2012 paper co-authored with Han Lixin, she examined The Role and Challenge of International Oil Pollution Liability Legislations in the Protection of Marine Environment. This work analyzed the international conventions enacted after catastrophic oil spills to compensate victims, questioning whether these liability regimes were sufficient to truly protect the marine environment. She argued for a review of key provisions and more uniform application of the conventions to improve their effectiveness.
She then turned her lens specifically to Tanzania. In her 2017 article, Legal Framework for Marine Oil Pollution Control in Tanzania, she provided a stark assessment of the nation’s vulnerabilities. With its long coastline and strategic position on the West Indian Ocean route, Tanzania faces threats from ships calling at its ports, land-based activities, and the burgeoning offshore oil and gas sector in the East Africa region. Her paper systematically evaluated Tanzania’s national legislation against international agreements, assessing its capacity for pollution prevention, incident response, and damage compensation. This work was foundational, establishing her as an expert in maritime environmental law and highlighting the urgent need for Tanzania to align its domestic laws with its international obligations and growing economic ambitions.
The Flag State Dilemma
Having addressed external threats, Prof. Gurumo turned her focus inward to a fundamental, structural flaw in Tanzania’s maritime governance: its system of ship registration. In her 2017 paper, Ship Registration in Tanzania: Current Status and Its Challenges, she diagnosed a critical problem holding the country back as a flag state. Tanzania maintains both a closed registry (for national vessels) and an open registry, but its performance, particularly in managing the open registry, was poor.
Her research identified the root cause: “dual maritime legislation and uncoordinated authorities.” The maritime sector of the United Republic of Tanzania operates under two distinct legal systems. Mainland Tanzania is primarily governed by the Merchant Shipping Act of 2003, while Zanzibar has its own Maritime Transport Act of 2006. This duality creates two separate maritime authorities—the Tanzania Shipping Agency Corporation (TASAC) on the mainland and the Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA)—that operate independently, often with conflicting mandates and no clear statutory connection.
This is not merely an administrative inefficiency but a constitutional one, as maritime affairs are not listed as a “Union Matter” in the URT’s constitution, giving Zanzibar the liberty to regulate its own maritime affairs. Prof. Gurumo argued that this fragmented system was severely hindering the URT’s ability to meet its obligations as a member state of the IMO. The lack of harmonized legislation and coordinated enforcement created regulatory gaps that shipowners could exploit, tarnishing the reputation of the Tanzanian flag and undermining safety and environmental standards.
Her recommendation was unequivocal: Tanzania needed to establish a comprehensive maritime policy to harmonize its laws and practices and equip all actors with the necessary knowledge to manage a modern, successful maritime venture. This research was a bold and incisive critique of the status quo, identifying a core systemic failure that no amount of superficial reform could fix.
The Dispute Resolution Gap
In her more recent work, Prof. Gurumo has addressed the final piece of the maritime legal puzzle: what happens when things go wrong. Even with robust environmental laws and a streamlined registration system, a maritime sector cannot thrive if commercial disputes are not resolved efficiently and fairly. Her research on this topic investigates the effectiveness of Tanzania’s legal framework for resolving commercial maritime disputes, juxtaposing it with international standards and practices.
These disputes can arise from a wide range of activities, including shipping contracts, carriage of goods, marine insurance, and salvage operations. Prof. Gurumo’s analysis identified significant gaps in Tanzania’s system, including a lack of specialized maritime courts, insufficient expertise in the complexities of maritime law among the judiciary, and a slow adoption of international norms. These weaknesses, she argued, hinder the timely and expert resolution of disputes, making Tanzania a less attractive place for international maritime business.
True to form, her work did not stop at diagnosis. It contributed directly to the ongoing discussion of maritime law reform in Tanzania by proposing practical solutions. These include targeted legislative amendments to modernize the law, specialized training programs to enhance judicial capacity, and fostering greater international cooperation to align Tanzania’s practices with global best standards. This research demonstrates her evolution from identifying structural problems to designing functional solutions, completing her comprehensive deconstruction of the nation’s maritime legal ecosystem.
Steering the Flagship: The Transformation of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute
Armed with a precise diagnosis of the nation’s maritime weaknesses, Professor Gurumo was uniquely positioned to act. As Rector of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute, she has systematically transformed the institution from a traditional training school into a modern, dynamic engine for human capital development, research, and diplomacy. Her leadership strategy at DMI is a microcosm of her national vision: it is holistic, integrated, and relentlessly focused on building the capacity needed to realize Tanzania’s Blue Economy ambitions. Each initiative—whether in technology, curriculum, partnerships, or student access—is an interconnected part of a larger system designed to produce world-class maritime professionals.
Modernizing Maritime Education – A cornerstone of Prof. Gurumo’s strategy has been to modernize DMI’s training infrastructure, moving it from a theory-based model to one grounded in practical, competency-based learning. A pivotal achievement was securing a 6.5 billion Tanzanian shilling investment from the government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. These funds were used to purchase state-of-the-art teaching equipment, including a Full Mission Engine Room Simulator and a Crane Simulator. This technology is a game-changer, allowing students to experience realistic, high-stakes operational scenarios in a safe and controlled environment, ensuring they are prepared for the demands of modern seafaring from day one.
In parallel with the technological upgrade, she has overseen a dramatic expansion of DMI’s academic offerings. The institute has grown from offering only basic Certificate of Competency (CoC) programs to a comprehensive suite of National Technical Award (NTA) programs that function at the university level. These programs cover a wide spectrum of specialized fields, including Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture and Off-shore Engineering, Oil and Gas, Shipping and Logistics Management, and even Maritime Law—a module she herself has taught.
To cement the institute’s international standing, its programs are accredited not only by Tanzania’s maritime administration (TASAC) under the auspices of the IMO but also by the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET). Furthermore, under her leadership, DMI achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification from DNV.GL, an IMO-recognized classification society, a globally respected mark of quality in maritime education and certification.
Building Bridges – Recognizing that modern education cannot exist in a vacuum, Prof. Gurumo has pursued a vigorous strategy of partnership-building. A landmark achievement was the January 2024 working visit she led to the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra, Ghana. This visit, which culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), was a historic moment. As she noted at the time, this was the first such agreement DMI had entered into with another African institution since its founding in 1978. The collaboration, focused on student and faculty exchange and program development, was a powerful statement of Pan-African cooperation. “We want to see Africa grow through its own resources,” she stated, framing the partnership as a step towards continental self-reliance in the maritime sector.
While looking abroad for strategic alliances, she has also forged critical links at home. Perhaps the most significant of these is the groundbreaking partnership with the newly rebranded Tanzania Shipping Agencies Company (TASHICO). This agreement creates a vital “sea-to-school” pipeline, addressing a chronic challenge in maritime education: the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience. The partnership allows DMI students to train hands-on aboard TASHICO vessels and participate in joint research projects relevant to Tanzania’s water transport sector. As Prof. Gurumo emphasized at the signing, “At DMI, we produce seafarers, and for them to be competent in the field, they must gain real-world experience.”
Expanding the Footprint – Prof. Gurumo’s vision extends beyond the confines of Dar es Salaam. She has spearheaded plans to establish new DMI branches in Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria, and in Lindi, on the southern coast. This strategic expansion is designed to bring maritime education closer to communities across the country, tapping into new talent pools and ensuring that the opportunities of the Blue Economy are not limited to the capital. By establishing a presence on the great lakes, DMI can better serve the inland water transport sector, a critical component of regional trade with landlocked neighbors.
Crucially, she has also focused on making maritime education more accessible. She successfully advocated for DMI students to be included in the government’s Higher Education Students Loan Board (HESLB) program. The impact was immediate and dramatic. The number of DMI students receiving loans more than doubled in a single academic year, from over 850 in 2021/2022 to more than 1,705 in 2022/2023, with over half receiving 100 percent of their requested funding. This policy change has opened the door to maritime careers for hundreds of talented young Tanzanians who would have otherwise been unable to afford the specialized training, democratizing access to one of the country’s most promising economic sectors.
Championing the Blue Horizon
Professor Gurumo’s influence extends far beyond the campus of DMI. She has emerged as one of Tanzania’s most important public intellectuals on maritime affairs and a key architect of the national vision for the Blue Economy. Through her writing, her participation in policy formulation, and her advocacy for inclusive growth, she has successfully translated a complex global development concept into a tangible and accessible national agenda. She has become the intellectual entrepreneur who not only built the academic foundation for the Blue Economy but also effectively communicated its promise to the nation.
The Seminal Text – “UCHUMI WA BLUU”
In 2021, Prof. Gurumo authored the book UCHUMI WA BLUU: Fursa na Chachu ya Maendeleo, which translates to The Blue Economy: Opportunity and Catalyst for Development. The book is a seminal work, but its most strategic feature is not its content, but its language. By choosing to write in Swahili, the national language, she made a deliberate decision to democratize the concept of the Blue Economy, moving it out of the exclusive domain of academics and policymakers and into the public consciousness. The book was intended to be delivered directly to all Tanzanians, sharing knowledge about the ocean’s importance and its potential as a driver for socio-economic development.
The book’s central thesis reflects the holistic and balanced approach that is the hallmark of her work. It outlines the key sectors of the Blue Economy—including fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, renewable energy, and tourism—while stressing the absolute necessity of balancing economic exploitation with environmental conservation. It addresses the formidable challenges, such as overfishing, pollution, and the impacts of climate change, and advocates for a holistic approach built on stakeholder participation, community engagement, and regional cooperation. The book serves as a critical resource, providing a comprehensive framework for harnessing marine resources sustainably for economic advancement.
From Theory to Practice – Shaping National Policy
Professor Gurumo’s expertise has been formally sought in the corridors of power. Her official biography notes her extensive participation in a wide range of national assignments, including regulations drafting, skills development, policy formulation and quality assurance. Her scholarly work, which meticulously diagnosed the weaknesses in Tanzania’s maritime legal framework, and her book, which articulated a clear vision for the future, provided the intellectual foundation upon which new government policies could be built.
Her contributions have been timely. The concept of the Blue Economy has gained significant traction in Tanzania, with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar launching its Blue Economy Policy in 2020 and a corresponding Strategic Plan for 2023–2028. Following suit, mainland Tanzania introduced its own National Blue Economy Policy in 2024. These policies represent a major strategic shift in national development planning, prioritizing the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources. While many stakeholders contributed to these frameworks, Prof. Gurumo’s long-standing research and public advocacy provided the essential, evidence-based underpinning that lent credibility and coherence to the government’s agenda.
Voice for Inclusion
A defining feature of Prof. Gurumo’s vision for the Blue Economy is her unwavering commitment to inclusive growth. She understands that sustainable development is not just about GDP figures or cargo tonnage; it is about improving livelihoods and ensuring that the benefits of growth are shared equitably. This conviction is evident in her research, most notably in the 2019 paper she co-authored with her DMI colleague Regina Mbilinyi, Enhancing Participation of Women and Youth in Blue Economy Activities.
This focus on social inclusion aligns with and informs the national policy debate. As Tanzania develops its Blue Economy, stakeholders have highlighted the need to integrate youth, women, and people with disabilities to ensure inclusive growth. Prof. Gurumo’s work provides the academic and policy rationale for such efforts. At public forums, she has consistently championed the cause of gender equality at sea, supporting calls for shipowners to establish robust mechanisms to prevent harassment and protect the dignity and rights of female seafarers. Her advocacy ensures that as Tanzania harnesses its marine resources, it does so in a way that empowers all its citizens, particularly those from marginalized groups.
Water, Water, Water
Professor Tumaini Gurumo’s career represents a powerful synthesis of thought and action. As a scholar, she meticulously diagnosed the legal and institutional impediments to Tanzania’s maritime progress. As an educator and institutional leader, she has systematically built the human and technological capacity required to overcome those impediments. And as a public intellectual and policy advisor, she has articulated a compelling national vision for a sustainable and inclusive Blue Economy.
Her legacy, therefore, is not a single achievement but the creation of a self-reinforcing ecosystem for maritime excellence. Her diagnostic research provided the blueprint for reform. Her transformative leadership at the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute is building the engine of that reform, producing a new generation of skilled professionals. Her advocacy for the Blue Economy has set the national course, providing a unifying vision for government, industry, and coastal communities.
Ultimately, her most enduring impact will be seen on the faces of the young men and women who pass through the halls of DMI. As a dedicated mentor to junior staff and a supervisor to countless students, her focus has always been on the next generation. The true measure of her success is the DMI graduate who, trained on a state-of-the-art simulator and seasoned with practical experience from a TASHICO vessel, confidently takes the helm of a ship or manages a bustling port terminal. This is the tangible result of her life’s work: turning academic theory and national policy into human capability.
Through her vision, dedication, and unwavering belief in African potential, Professor Tumaini Gurumo has helped ensure that Tanzania’s future on the water is in safe, competent, and ambitious hands.
*Adeline Remmy Ndesanjo is the Chief Executive Officer of Synergy Africa Limited