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.”