Maputo plays big role in economic resurgence

KEVIN MAYHEW
EFFECTIVE MARKETING of the Maputo Port has produced positive results for the freight industry, and the year ahead looks equally bright, according to the branch manager of Caraval LDA in Maputo, Karel Meyer. His concern is that it could attract opportunists keen for a quick buck, to the detriment of businesses that have weathered leaner times. “There is no doubt that the entire city’s economy is visibly improving and that is on the back of the port’s success. Mozambique is largely a transit port and people are becoming enthused and creating opportunities as they gain confidence in the economy and its long term prospects. “However, I do hope that we do not get an influx of outsiders who decimate the pricing structures and then leave when they make mistakes, leaving us to rebuild the industry,” he said. Caraval LDA, a member of the LBA Group, has had a presence in Maputo for 16 years and shipped out some 700 000 tonnes of mainly coal from Lydenburg during 2004.