Security record a big attraction as MIPS extends container yard

MIPS is increasing the capacity of the container yard, which currently has 1 500 ground slots, in order to cater for the growth, says operations manager Pedro Pena. “We are going to introduce RT Gs rather than reach stackers,” he says. Feeding the port is a 160% growth in rail container traffic over the past year, following a 900% rise from 2006 to 2007. “This means that rail is delivering,” he says. According to Pena, shipping lines are being attracted to the port because throughput is “balanced” in terms of volume. Vessels drop off empty containers and load full ones. Pena says MIPS is working with the lines to bring more full containers in through Maputo. For the owners of the cargo, the appeal is the security record of Maputo. “There has not been a single case of pilferage since 2000,” he says.