The US$164 million upgrade of the Port of Maputo is officially under way, setting the stage for an expansion that will more than double the port’s container capacity within two years.
While this development is a boon for regional trade, it poses a serious threat to South Africa’s ports, which continue to struggle with delays, congestion and chronic equipment failures.
Once a dominant player in Southern African logistics, South Africa now risks ceding its position to neighbouring countries that are modernising their port infrastructure through private investment.
Mozambique’s Maputo and Beira ports and Namibia’s Walvis Bay – once secondary alternatives – are now attracting container ships that would have traditionally docked in Durban or Cape Town. With the Maputo upgrade, the competition that South Africa faces will only increase.
The Mozambique capital city port is benefiting from capital inflows by private operator DP World, an investment company that manages strategic trade investments for the government of Dubai and manages the Maputo container terminal.
Competing directly with South Africa, the Maputo port website promotes itself “as a gateway to southern Africa” and advertises land transport from the port into South Africa and neighbouring countries.
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