Monthly forum set up to grow Maputo volumes

A monthly port users’ forum has been established for the Port of Maputo in Mozambique under the co-chairmanship of Jorge Ferraz and Ronnie Holtshausen – the two caretaker CEOs of the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC). Addressing the forum at its opening meeting, Ferraz and Holtshausen agreed it was important for the port community to work together to ensure the joint long-term development of the port. The aim is to grow throughput from the projected 8.7-million tonnes for 2010 to 48-mt over the following 20 years with an estimated capital expenditure (capex) of US$750-million. Already the channel is being dredged to 9.4 metres with capital dredging planned for next April to take the channel to an 11-metre depth which will then be able to accommodate panamax size vessels.