One-stop border post

The Port of Maputo handled more
cargo in 2008 than at any
time since 1977 and is well on
its way to realising its potential, says
Dick Moore, commercial manager
for the Maputo Port Development
Company.
“In 2009 the port will handle about
100 trucks per day coming off the
Maputo Corridor, compared to 15 per
day back in 2003. Major developments
have taken place and the potential for
the port is unlimited.”
Actively seeking the South African
market, the port wants to become the
preferred gateway not only for the
northern provinces of South Africa but
also for countries such as Zimbabwe,
Swaziland, Zambia and Botswana.
Plans are under way for 24-hour
operations at the Lebombo/Ressano
Garcia border post while road upgrades
have already made a difference.
“The new highway (N4/EN4) runs
continuously from Rustenburg in North
West right up to the new entrance at
Port Maputo. Heavy goods vehicles
leaving Johannesburg at 6am loaded
with valuable South African exports are
in the port by 2pm and, with turnaround
times of less than 60 minutes, the same
trucks are back in Gauteng by 10pm
with a load of imports from China
or a backload from Mpumalanga,”
Moore told FTW
Said one trucker, who wanted to
remain anonymous, “We like this
route, it's quick, uncongested and safe.
Not a single vehicle has been hijacked
since the port opened in 2003.
“All in all the transit experience
is much easier and more efficient
than it was. This has been achieved
by processing commercial vehicles
at secure customs depots located
on either side of the frontier,
4 or 5 kilometres from the crossing,
thus reducing congestion at the frontier
itself which is reserved for cars and
pedestrians. Huge improvements have
also been made in terms of customs
and immigration resources and there
is a far higher level of operational
integration between the South African
and Mozambican authorities.”