An inland minerals loading and storage facility will take some of the pressure off the port of Maputo and open up new opportunities for exporters in Mpumalanga, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The FPT Mineral Terminal was opened in Matola outside Maputo in the beginning of October 2013. “The terminal will pack minerals into containers and deliver these in the port of Maputo for exports,” says Dawie Ferreira, chief executive officer of the Capespan logistics division and managing director of FPT. Capespan has been involved in Mozambique since 1996 when the company bought Matola Cargo Terminal (MCT) also known as “Frigo” in Matola and the Mozambique Produce Terminal (MPT) in the port of Maputo. The company is also supporting other plans to help improve the flow of cargo. “There is a growing requirement for efficient supply chain management solutions. High costs are driven by inefficiencies (waste) in the supply chain. This really means that the dwell times have to be reduced. “It is widely known that the customs operations will move to the border at Resanno Garcia as part of the one-stop border post initiative. MCT is part of the consortium that will build and manage the new road terminal. This is likely to start operating early in 2014,” he says. Capespan is also “continuously looking at expanding our service offering and is currently considering opportunities in the central and northern parts of Mozambique”. “I believe that the two Capespan companies, MCT and FPT, are well-positioned to explore these opportunities and unlock true value for our customers,” says Ferreira. Services provided by the company currently include the handling of citrus through the port of Maputo in reefer containers; transport for “a number of blue chip” companies; and warehousing and distribution for companies such as British American Tobacco, Unilever, CDM (SAB in Mozambique), and Coca- Cola. “We are very active in the material handling market and are the agent for Toyota Forklifts in Mozambique,” adds Ferreira. MCT also provides support to the Mozambican customs department in the Matola terminal. “Mozambique has made good progress and I believe that we will experience continued good economic growth. Logistical solution seems to be one of the major challenges in Africa to unlock the potential,” he says. INSERT & CAPTION There is a growing requirement for efficient supply chain management solutions. – Dawie Ferreira
