SA-Moz MoU - no joint ventures at this stage

The planned co-operation
agreement between SA’s
Transnet National Ports
Authority (TNPA) and
Mozambique’s Maputo
Port Development
Company (MPDC) is
likely to focus on the
key areas of training and
technical assistance, Dave
Rennie, MD of Grindrod
Freight Services, told
FTW.
“Thereafter we will
need to see what arises,”
he added. “But at this
stage we are definitely not
looking at joint ventures of
any type.”
A memorandum of
understanding (MoU) will
be signed between the two
bodies before the end of
this year.
The TNPA is the
landlord authority
that provides port
infrastructure and marinerelated
services at the
eight commercial sea ports
in SA and MPDC is a
national private company,
which results from a
partnership between the
Mozambique ports and
railway company (CFM),
Grindrod and DP World.
One area of
collaboration is said
to be the segregation
of MPDC into Port
Authority and Port
Operations. Others are
the transition from road
to rail, nautical matters,
training of operational and
engineering staff and the
like.
“Regional integration
is in line with Transnet’s
market demand strategy
(MDS),” said Tau Morwe,
CE of TNPA, “reviewing
Transnet’s role in the
development of the
North-South corridor,
and signing of MoUs
between African countries,
including training and
skills development.”