Swaziland reveals seafaring aspirations

MBABANE—Swaziland’s
cabinet is considering a
proposal for a 26-km canal
that will link the Indian Ocean
along the Mozambique coast to
an envisioned port to be built
at Mlawula in Swaziland’s
Lubombo region. According
to the private developers,
identified in the Swazi press
as Moses Motsa and Mark
Andrade, the Mozambique
government has also been
approached for its cooperation.
The developers are selling
the project as a way to create
10 000 construction jobs.
Beyond that plans are vague
in terms of what ships would
use a port purportedly to be
built on only 15 to 20 hectares
of land and located in a remote
droughty area scarcely served
by roads and electricity lines.
The location is without rail
connectivity, and the nearest
airport is more than 200 kms
away.
“The project, currently
being reviewed by cabinet,
has been prompted by traffic
congestion at nearby ports
in neighbouring countries
and the dire need to greatly
improve export trade in
Swaziland,” Motsa told the
Times of Swaziland.
Swaziland is an
impoverished landlocked
country with no history of
seafaring or management
of port facilities. The Times
had to consult Wikipedia for
a description of a seaport in
order to explain the concept to
readers.
Motsa said the inland
harbour would accommodate
“big vessels” at docks “that
could take up to four ships at
once.”
A source with the Swazi
army found the project exciting
because “Now Swaziland can
have a navy!”