The introduction by MSC of a fortnightly Sofala Express service has ramped up efficiency to the Far East for users of Beira port.
“This new service caters for Far East imports and exports through Beira and its hinterland corridors to Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” says Nicola del Vecchio, managing director of MSC Mozambique. “With transhipment in Port Louis we have increased capacity and speeded up transit time to and from the Far East for transit cargo through Beira in particular.”
The service takes its name from the Sofala region which includes Beira and the logistics corridors to neighbouring countries. Del Vecchio is confident that volumes through Beira will grow.
“The capital dredging of the Beira channel to a new chart datum of eight metres is great news for shipping lines as it means less limitations on vessel draught. “This means that we can bring in and ship out more cargo per call. “In addition, the deepened approach channels have reduced the tidal restrictions on vessel movements.
“The concern remains that in order to improve maintenance dredging needs to avoid a repeat of 2011 where the channel lost a metre of draught in just 12 months after the capital dredging.” He is also concerned about Maputo volumes.
“Despite a strong and much appreciated marketing and investment effort by DP World to attract transit cargo from South Africa to Maputo, port costs (primarily the maritime but also terminal) represent a major obstacle to making Maputo a viable option for containerised cargo in and out of South Africa. “Container lines are still levied exorbitant channel and dredging charges despite the fact that the deepening of the channel has no benefit to us due to draught restrictions at the DP World berth,” he says.
According to Del Vecchio the matter has been raised by MSC as well as other shipping companies through the Association of Shipping Lines in Mozambique, but there have been no effective changes.
Port costs represent a major obstacle to making Maputo a viable option for containerised cargo in and out of South Africa. – Nicola del Vecchio
