First iron ore shipment kick-starts Matola terminal

LEONARD NEILL
LAST FRIDAY saw the loading of 27 000 tons of iron ore at the Matola terminal in Maputo harbour, the first such shipment since the middle of the last century.
It’s the start of a regular flow of consignments from Phalaborwa. A total of
67 000 tons has already been booked for export through the harbour during the month of March.
The iron ore terminal was developed midway through the last century. When production from Swaziland ceased, it was converted to a coal terminal, then used for chrome exports, before returning to the coal operations.
On Friday last week the terminal completed an ever turning circle when it reverted to its origins.
It will be used for both iron ore and coal in the future.