Tanzania and Uganda have signed a preliminary agreement with global commodities trader Vitol to develop a regional energy hub at Tanzania’s Port of Tanga, strengthening plans for an alternative petroleum corridor as Uganda approaches first crude exports. The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, Uganda National Oil Company and Vitol Bahrain signed a non-binding agreement on August 6 to explore development of the Tanga Regional Energy Hub. Tanga’s Growing Energy RoleTanga is already becoming an important node in East Africa’s petroleum infrastructure. The companies have agreed financing of up to $2bn to support strategic Ugandan petroleum infrastructure and investments. Vitol’s involvement would link its existing Ugandan fuel-supply and financing business with a second regional petroleum corridor through Tanzania.