Negotiations with potential customers ‘at advanced stage’
LEONARD NEILL
A CAR TERMINAL capable of handling 100 000 vehicles is on the planning boards at the Port of Maputo.
The facility, designed to cater for the needs of Gauteng-based automotive manufacturers, has already attracted positive interest from BMW and Ford for their Middle- and Far East exports, while a number of component manufacturers are also interested, says Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) chief executive Alec Don.
The wharf adjacent to the planned terminal site is currently capable of berthing ro-ro vessels carrying 6 000 vehicles, but dredging will enable the port to handle the largest vessels of this type afloat.
“I’m not prepared to name any vehicle or component manufacturers at this stage, and no contracts have been signed,” says Don. “But I can tell you negotiations with some of them are at an advanced stage, and their input has been sufficiently positive to encourage us to go ahead with the project.
“Remember we are a private company and any developments we undertake are based solely on assurances that the facility we offer must have the guarantee that business will flow. A car terminal will clearly open up vast new business opportunities for us.”
Southern Africa has one established car terminal in East London, while the Durban facility is now in the final stages of construction and will be in full swing shortly. This is used by Pretoria-based BMW. Indications are clear that the company will continue to use this facility for its major export drive, especially to Europe and the West.
When it begins producing left-hand drive vehicles in its next series, becoming the first South African manufacturer to export left-hand drives, it sees Maputo as the ideal export port for Far East operations.
“At first we expect to see around 2 000 vehicles passing through the terminal in both directions,” says Don.
No time schedule has been set for the construction of the terminal, but it is expected to get underway later this year.
