Maputo dredging to start in May

A ten-month dredging project that
will see the approach channel for the
port of Maputo deepened from -11
metres to -14.2 metres
is due to start in mid-
May, according to the
chief executive officer
of the Maputo Port
Development Company
Osório Lucas.
The US$115-million
contract was awarded to
to Jan de Nul Dredging
Middle East FZE, UAE,
and will enable vessels
of up to 80 000 tons to
call on the port.
Mozambican banks
are providing financing,
with support from the country’s
government.
“Dredging the port access channel is
a strategic decision that will not only
help to achieve our target of handling
40 million tons per annum by the end
of the concession period, but will have
long-term benefits for the Mozambican
economy,” says Lucas.
The MPDC
concession ends in
2033.
“We believe it will
attract more cargo,
create more jobs,
encourage the growth
of smaller businesses
associated with the port,
and highlight the need
for more infrastructure
development,” he says in
a statement.
In 2010/2011 the
approach channel
was dredged from
-9.4 metres (depth designed for the
channel) to -11 metres which helped
increase cargo handled from 12 million
tons in 2011 to over 19 million tons in
2014.
INSERT & CAPTION
Dredging the port
access channel will
help to achieve our
target of handling
40 million tons per
annum.
– Osorio Lucas