Maputo means business as Far East service kicks in

ALAN PEAT THE MAPUTO corridor has reached a critical stage in promoting itself as an alternative to the current Gauteng-Durban shipping route. Now is the time, suggested Brenda Horne, CEO of the Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI), for those who have expressed interest in using the corridor for their freight needs to put their money where their mouth is. This because further impetus has been added to this transport alternative with the Japanese shipping line, Mitsui OSK Line (MOL), launching a container service between the Mozambique port of Maputo and the Far East. On January 2, the 2 458-TEU container vessel, the MOL Dream, made the first call at Maputo en-route to the Far East – with the next call by the MOL Sunrise on January 23. “The long-awaited direct service has started,” said Horne. “But, like anything else in our business environment, if it is not taken up it will soon not be viable for the line to continue.” She therefore made an urgent appeal to all cargo movers to utilise this Far East service, and to create the economies of scale to ensure its continuity. “It is in everybody’s interest to ensure an alternate route to Durban and/or other SA ports.” Horne added. Jan Bekker, the business development manager of port operators MIPS, told FTW that he was available for assistance with costings and the set-up of landside logistics to the port of Maputo. At the same time, Iain McIntosh, sales and marketing manager of MOL SA, volunteered to provide details of the WA1 Maputo-to-Asia schedule – which, he added, firmly demonstrated the line’s “commitment to regular calls”. There is a second important stimulus, Horne added, with notable developments on the rail line between Gauteng and Maputo. “Significant strides have been made in rehabilitation and stabilisation of the line between Ressano Garcia and the port of Maputo,” she said. To celebrate this progress, and to define what the rail service will mean for users, the top management of the joint partners, SA’s Spoornet and Mozambique’s CFM, will be holding a road show in Nelspruit. This official launch of the rail service will be held on February 14-16 with the title: “Maputo Corridor revival – awakening a giant”, and will be addressed by both Siyabonga Gama, CEO of Spoornet and Rui Fonseca, CEO of CFM. They will be defining the sector-specific strategies for the mining and energy, intermodal and agricultural sectors.