Dole to move more cargo from Durban to Maputo

Such is the belief of major
fruit exporter, Dole SA, in
the future of Maputo that
it will intensify shipments
through the Mozambican
port and in so doing, lessen
reliance on the port of
Durban.
Andy Connell, Dole’s
business unit shipping
and logistics manager for
South Africa, Morocco and
Egypt, professes to be no
‘cheerleader for the Maputo
cause’ but is adamant the
port should feature more
intensely on the South
African fruit export radar,
particularly when it comes
to northern region produce,
citrus for one.
Upon joining Dole with
a ten-year background
in logistics in 2007, the
company was shipping
around 30 pallets of citrus
a year out of Maputo.
That was to increase to
2 600 pallets the following
year, 8 700 pallets in 2009,
and the projection for this
year is at least 15 000
pallets.
“We did 60 000 pallets
out of Durban last year but
I want to take 15 000 from
that total this year and put
it into Maputo instead.”
Connell, alluding to
suggestions Maputo
has a capacity problem,
insists there is no such
thing – rather that the
problem lies with a lack of
“commitment” by shippers.
“If one looks at the map,
it’s emotions that have
kept everything moving
toward Durban, also poor
organisation on the part
of the exporters. Splitting
fruit between depots
increases costs.”
So how does one explain
shipper reticence in
supporting Maputo, FTW wanted to know?
“It’s the perceived cost
of the Maputo operation,”
says Connell.
“Compare the tariff
(with Durban) and Maputo
is more expensive because
of dollar involvement
and the like but in the
end Maputo is more costeffective
if one considers
attendant costs like storage
and administration.”
What is more, he says,
port services are much
improved at Maputo. “The
train service into the fruit
terminal is excellent and
the severe problems we
experienced with handling
equipment last year has
been resolved by MIPS and
will run even smoother
this year.”
Working closely with
French carrier CMA CGM
from the outset, and more
recently with Safmarine
and Maersk Line, Connell
admits: “Maputo has not
always been easy, but I
have seen a year-on-year
improvement in the port.”