New management team ready to move Port of Maputo forward

With a brand new management team in place, the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) recently completed a 20-year master plan heralding a new era for the Maputo Port. According to Rui Sant’ana Afonso, planning and development manager for the MPDC, the plan will be launched next year. “We have a new management team and remain as dedicated as ever to developing the services and capacities of the port,” said Afonso. “We are working very closely with the rest of the port community to ensure that Maputo becomes the preferred complementary port for SADC importers and exporters.” The MPDC in April 2003 obtained a 15-year concession to restore, manage and operate the Port of Maputo, which is the only privately owned port in Africa. Vested with the powers of a port authority the MPDC finances, rehabilitates, operates, manages, maintains, develops and optimises the port under the concession agreement. According to Afonso, the master plan will see even more development taking place at the port which in the past year saw volumes increase by 8% despite a global economic meltdown.