Hoëgh gives Maputo the thumbs-up

Last year’s test drive of roll-on, roll-off (ro/ro) car carriers into Maputo has proven successful, and Höegh Autoliners is soon to have vessels from two trades calling at the Mozambique hub port. The first is the alreadyestablished monthly run on the Europe-SA-Mozambique- Indian Ocean Islands (IOI)- Australia trade – with an extensive port rotation of: Amsterdam, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Le Havre, Southampton, Santaber, either Port Elizabeth or East London, Durban, Maputo, Tamatave, Reunion, Port Louis, Fremantle, Melbourne, Port Kembla (near Sydney), and Brisbane. With what it complained were “logistical challenges in SA ports and a lack of terminal infrastructure”, Höegh Autoliners decided to add Maputo to this schedule from last September – in a trial run lasting until March this year. One of the attractions at the Mozambique port, according to customer services manager for Africa, Fernanda da Souza, was the new car terminal that has been in operation in Maputo since the end of 2007. “The market showed considerable interest in making use of these facilities as a complement to Durban port and its car terminal,” she told FTW. “The volumes are still enough to keep us interested, and we intend to keep this monthly service running for another six months.” Also, the Norwegian vehicle carrier operator is about to enter the trade between the Middle East, India and Africa – with an initial sailing scheduled for the first week of July, and catering for both rolling and static cargo. The monthly sailings are due to call at Jebel Ali, Mumbai, Chennai, Colombo, Maputo, Luanda, Lagos and Tema. “Further ports can be added subject to inducement,” said De Souza. “And, by transhipping on to our other established service, there is also a connection with IOI and Australia.” However, at the moment, the line is only off-loading vehicles at Maputo, with no export cargo of any note yet going through the port, she added.