Balance loads make Beira more attractive for lines

A balance of import and

export container volumes

makes Beira attractive to

shipping lines, according to

Cornelder executive managing

director Adelino Mesquita.

Cornelder de Mozambique

(CdM) is a private joint venture

between Mozambique Ports and

Railways (CFM) and Cornelder –

based in Rotterdam, Holland.

Among the factors

contributing to the balancing of

container imports and exports

are the improved efficiency of

the port.

Investment in container

yards, new gantry cranes and

other equipment is increasing

the capacity of the port to

450 000 TEU a year.

The Finnish-made

Konecranes can lift up to 65

tons, have a reach of 40 metres

and can handle two containers

simultaneously.

International lines CMA

CGM, PIL, Maersk and MSC

make direct calls at Beira,

which is also served by smaller

lines and feeder services.

The lines operate a namedday

service, with little or no

waiting time in the channel.

For importers and exporters

the dwell times in the port have

been reduced from 20 to below

10 days thanks to increased

productivity and a much better

planning and collaboration

between the port operator and

the other actors in the logistics

chain.

Customs and clearing

agents are

also working

together more

closely to ensure

that cargo is cleared

faster. Truck turnaround in the

port has been reduced from four

hours to 45 minutes.

Shippers are using the port

due to the improvements in

productivity and reliability, and

because of its proximity – it is

less than half the distance to

Durban or Dar es Salaam for

shippers based in Zimbabwe,

Zambia, the Democratic Republic

of Congo and Malawi, according

to Mesquita.

Beira is becoming more widely

recognised as a good option. This

is evident from the fact that the

export volumes from Zambia and

Zimbabwe are holding steady or

are growing despite the regional

economic slump, he says.

Mesquita believes cargo

owners recognise that they

obtain significant cost savings

in transport costs by switching

to Beira.

The road link along the EN6

highway from the port to the

Zimbabwean border is being

upgraded, and Cornelder is

working with the authorities to

improve the rail links to the port.