Beira no longer has the dubious distinction of being the only commercial container port in the world to be restricted to daytime navigation in and out of the port.
This follows the training of 12 young pilots in a programme run under the auspices of STC-Southern Africa and STC Rotterdam, according to Beira port harbour master Captain Otto Nijkamp. He headed up the two-year training of the pilots, and was appointed harbour master at the beginning of the year, with the responsibility of updating the port regulations and procedures in order to ensure that the 27-kilometre approach channel is navigable 24 hours a day.
Ports and Railways of Mozambique executive director Augusto Abudo told journalists at the completion of an emergency dredging project in April this year that about 850 000 cubic metres of sand had been removed from the Sofala bank and the Macúti curve and used as landfill for a new multipurpose Quay 11. The dredging operation also widened the access channel from 135 to 250 metres, and to a depth of eight metres on straight sections and 9.2 metres on the Macúti curve.
Beira can now accommodate vessels up to 60 000 gross tons and 215 metres long 24 hours a day. Prior to the dredging it was restricted to 33 000-ton vessels. Abudo said the increase in capacity would benefit both Mozambique and traditional hinterland port users such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and DR Congo. In order to maintain productivity and competitiveness, scheduled maintenance dredging will continue for 18 months.
There is also ongoing training of all pilots to ensure that the marine operations continue to improve their productivity, says Nijkamp. The objective is to provide a “seven-day horizon” for all port users in order to plan more effectively and to clear or load cargo faster.
“Our whole planning and berth allocation process is transparent. It is discussed at a daily meeting with the agents and freight forwarders,” he says. Parastatal CFM, which is responsible for the marine-side operations, is in the final stages of acquiring two new 65-ton bollard pull tugs, according to Nijkamp. “We are currently busy with the risk assessment to accommodate the port’s first Panamax-sized vessel,” he says.
Due to draught restrictions it will not be able to enter or leave full, but the larger vessel will help reduce costs for shippers using Beira, he believes.
We are currently busy with the risk assessment to accommodate the port’s first Panamaxsized vessel. – Captain Otto Nijkamp Captain Otto Nijkamp and senior pilot Isaac Saize.
