Mozambique’s ports are becoming more connected to the hinterland through a number of rail rehabilitation projects.Some $260 million will be invested in rehabilitating the Beira-Mutare and the Maputo-Harare railway lines, as well as the procurement of four locomotives and 150 wagons to service the routes.In a briefing at the unveiling of the project it was said locomotives would be sourced from India and would be used to pull wheat and chrome between Beira and Harare.The briefing coincided with what is described as the first meeting between the senior management of CFM and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).NRZ is on a drive to attract investments that will see the parastatal being revitalised.These include public private partnerships in which customers repair out-of-service resources such as wagons and locomotives. This equipment is then available to the customers.NRZ’s strategic plan is to transport 4.2 million tons a year on rail by 2023.Work started on the rehabilitation and upgrading of the 317 Beira-Machipanda section of the railway line between the port of Beira and the Machipanda border town in late 2020.It will increase capacity from 1.5 to 3 million tons a year. It is part of the greater Machipanda-Harare railway upgrade.CFM has started replacing tracks on the line, as part of a $200m investment. The tracks are being upgraded from 40 to 45 kilogramme capacity, which means they will be able to accommodate 80-ton wagons rather than the previous limit of 60 tons.CFM board chairperson Miguel Matabel is quoted as saying that the work will be completed in 2022.Another project which has started is the $46-million rehabilitation of the Sena line from Beira to the Moatize coal basin in Tete province. It will also connect Malawi to Beira by rail through a spur which goes from Mutarara to Bangula in Malawi. The 115km spur, which has been unused for a number of years, consists of 44km of rail in Mozambique, and 71km in Malawi. Malawi will then be connected by rail to Nacala in the north and Beira. The private sector is involved in the restoration of the rail services.Unitrans Africa has announced that it has established partnerships with NRZ, CFM and private rail operator Traxtion. According to Unitrans, it will offer dedicated rail links between Maputo Port and three major Zimbabwean trade hubs – Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru.
