Perceptions hinder port growth

Volume growth through the

ports of Maputo and Beira

face strong counter-currents of

perceptions built up over many

years.

A number of logistics companies

based in Beira told FTW that

they were having to work hard at

changing the image of the port.

Zimbabwean and Zambian

shippers who had had bad

experiences using Beira before

it was dredged in 2011 remain

reluctant to return.

Maputo faces similar challenges,

with a 2012 World Bank (WB)

report comparing the Mozambican

port with Durban, stating that

“some large South African shippers

still perceive the business climate as

unpredictable and are reluctant to

redirect their logistics routes.

“Corruption is more present in

Maputo than in Durban … bribes

are paid on about 36% of all cargo

movements for the port of Durban.

“For Maputo, bribes are paid on

about 54% of all cargo movements.

“Mozambique’s main deficiencies

mostly derive from logistics and

low transport reliability. Logistics

professionals perceive Mozambique

as not logistics friendly,” it says.

On the positive side it says road

conditions are generally good,

and compared with other major

international corridors in Africa,

“transport prices from and to

Mozambique are not abnormally

high”.