The port of Maputo is marketing itself more aggressively to shippers in Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe following investment in the port and supporting landside infrastructure.
The port has a capacity for both bulk and containerised cargo, says Neusa Saranga, commercial director.
“The port or Maputo is strategically well located in the southern African region and open for business with the African continent.
“It is expanding its footprint into hinterland countries and is developing value-added solutions to ensure the seamless flow of goods through the cross-national borders of SADC neighbouring countries,” she says.
Geographically, the port’s competitive advantage is that it is the closest Indian Ocean gateway after Beira for much of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Zambian and DRC volumes will be built on the growing volumes handled for shippers in South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
An integrated supply chain has been developed along the Beitbridge Corridor through partnerships between the port operators and Mozambican rail operator CFM, Transnet Freight Rail and the National Railways of Zimbabwe. Maputo is also making it more attractive for larger vessels to call, with the port handling its first Capesize bulk carrier loaded with 101 000 tons of ore in June 2018.
Following the dredging of the channel and berths to accommodate post-Panamax vessels, the National Institute for Hydrography and Navigation of Mozambique, which is responsible for ensuring navigational safety on national port access channels, has announced it will spend US$3.5 million on marking the approach channel.
Forty-one smart floating buoys will cover the entire port access system, comprising the northern channels of Xefina, Polana, Catembe, as well as the Matola Channel, and the aim is to make access to the port fast and secure, improving its competitiveness in the region.
“The majority of our traffic is transit, and through the years of operation we have built up the ability and confidence to cater for larger volumes of cross-border freight,” says Saranga. “The traffic is split between road and rail feeder corridors which give importers and exporters in Zambia and the DRC direct access to the Maputo gateway.”
CAPTION
Aerial view of the port of Maputo.
