Columbus Stainless affirms commitment to Maputo

Despite the need for more
shipping lines from the Far East
and a more efficient border
post, Columbus Stainless
remains determined to use the
Maputo port for most of its
exports.
According to Dirk Nell,
senior logistics manager for the
company, the Mozambican port
allows a shorter lead time and
is a more cost-effective choice
than the ports in Durban and
Richards Bay.
“We use both road and rail
transport to Maputo and have
developed a very smooth
operation with very little
wastage. The cargo moves
direct from the train onto
the vessel making rail more
reliable to Maputo than to
other corridors for Columbus
Stainless. Rail is also
substantially cheaper.”
Nell said the company
had strategically decided to
use Mozambican-based road
transporters instead of South
Africans for its road freight.
“The drivers know the
system well and seem to handle
the border post better. It is also
a way of us giving back to the
Mozambican community.”
According to Nell, several
issues such as border post
clearing and limited shipping
options from the East remain
cumbersome to operations.
“If you were to send 32
trucks to Maputo on one day,
you would congest the border
post. At this stage it is all
about paper, paper and more
paper, but the plans for the
new border post are a welcome
relief. Border clearing, the cost
of scanning containers on road
and the high level of congestion
all remain problematic.
Working hours at customs
and the border post not
operating 24 hours a day also
pose a challenge.
“At present we are mostly
using shipping lines from Italy.
We do need more lines from
the Far East. But despite these
challenges we remain positive
and upbeat about Maputo as
our main port.”
The company has exported
26 008 tons (1323 containers)
from Maputo since January
2007 with 226 495 tons
breakbulk being shipped since
January 2004.
“We average around 1300
tons per month – about 65
containers. At least 88% of our
containers go to port via rail,
creating an opportunity for
empty containers to be utilised
in Maputo.”