Average waiting time for a berth reduced to 24 hours
A number of systems
put in place by
the Maputo Port
Development
Company (MPDC) are helping
to reduce the overall costs
of using the harbour, says
commercial director Johann
Botha.
“One of the biggest
advantages is that we have
reduced the average waiting
time for a berth to 24 hours,” he
says.
A f lexible berthing policy
means that vessels are berthed
as close as possible to the
storage area of the commodity
they are taking on.
“Where necessary we will
move the cargo to the vessel in
order to minimise delays,” he
says.
Loading efficiencies on the
quayside will be improved
through the addition of two
mobile cranes which are due to
be commissioned in October.
Operators for the Liebherr
cranes have already been
trained and certified.
“When we start operating in
October we will have enough
fully trained staff to operate the
cranes,” he says.
Liebherr units were selected
because of the support available
from South Africa – “spares are
just six hours away by road”.
Productivity is expected to be
high thanks to the investment in
automatic spreaders which lift
an entire container at a time and
then empty it into the hold.
“There will be no people apart
from the truck driver on the
quayside – trucks will drive
up, the crane will lift off the
container, spread the contents
and then put it back on the
truck,” he says.
The result will be improved
safety and savings for the
shippers.
With this system it will be
possible to co-load cargo of
different grades or types into
separate hatches at the same
time.
Productivity is expected to increase
from the present 200-220 tons an
hour to 800 tons an hour.
“We expect to be able to turn a
vessel around in a day and this will
increase the productivity of the
berths,” says Botha.
Further savings for shippers
come from the fact that the MPDC
includes stevedoring in its fees.
“There are also no cargo dues,”
says Botha.
Investment in the road and rail
infrastructure has also improved
efficiencies and reduced the cost of
transporting exports to the port.
The gate entrance has been
reconfigured, and trucks are
routed around the back of the
port so that they do not interfere
with operations.
CAPTION
The Port of Maputo ... a flexible berthing policy means that vessels are berthed
as close as possible to the storage area of the commodity they are taking on.
