Gauteng auto makers switching to Maputo

Three of the Gautengbased original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are now using the Grindrod Maputo Car Terminal, which has been expanded to handle the additional volumes. Opened in November 2007, with a capacity of 1ˆ455 cars, the vehicle terminal has since expanded to 4ˆ158 parking bays with an annual capacity of 121ˆ000 cars a year. It handles a combination of imported used cars, trucks, agricultural and mining machinery, vehicles in transit and the export and import of new cars. BMW, Nissan and Renault have switched some of their volumes to Maputo. According to Grindrod’s halfyear report, the Maputo car terminal experienced a 91% jump in volumes in the half-year ended June 30, with 37ˆ155 vehicles imported and exported through the facility. This was before the completion of the expansion, which has been operational since August 2013. The first BMW shipments were handled at the end of March 2013, and the company has plans to move around 14ˆ000 export vehicles a year through the terminal. Both Durban and Maputo will be used in order to handle planned exports of up to 70ˆ000 vehicles a year – up from 33ˆ000. Commenting on the decision to use Maputo, BMW South Africa managing director Bodo Donauer is quoted in the Grindrod publication “Making Waves” as saying “the decision to use Maputo is the first step to ensuring the development of a robust, well-thought-out competitive logistics network.” Grindrod operates the terminal in partnership with Höegh Autoliners. They are working closely together in order to develop the terminal as a major vehicle hub for the region, according to Pieter Venter, general manager of Grindrod Terminals in Maputo. Other Grindrod companies involved in the supply chain are Grindrod Logistics Automotive, which handles the transport between Gauteng and Maputo by road, and Röhlig-Grindrod, which is responsible for the clearing and forwarding. CAPTION 1 Vehicles in the Maputo car terminal. CAPTION 2 Aerial view of the additions to the Maputo car terminal.