The race is on to upgrade Maputo

Two coal exporters ready to switch from Richards Bay Leonard Neill IT'S A RACE against time for both Spoornet and the developers of Maputo harbour to meet the calls of the Mpumalanga and Northern province business sectors in order to boost export volumes through the Mozambique harbour. With Spoornet having recently announced its intention to take over and upgrade the line from Komatipoort to Maputo, and Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) planning a multi-million dollar upgrade, the competition is on to capture freight - especially coal - making the trip to Richards Bay. Switch Both Carolina Coal and the Kumba coal exporting company are prepared to swing loads to Maputo if matters are improved. This requires replacing the currently dilapidated railway line, providing sufficient rolling stock, and eliminating inefficient operations which have slowed down movements through the port. "We sold 700 000 tons last year but this could easily have passed the million mark had the transport and port services been adequate," says Athol Young, Carolina Coal's logistics manager. His company is satisfied the three mines involved could double capacity during the next few years if infrastructure and services are beefed up. Kumba marketing manager Leon Hendrikz estimates that it could swing 600 000 tons annually from its Grootgeluk and Leeuwpan mines in Northern Province and Mpumalanga through Maputo. The company already has a sizeable allocation at Richards Bay Coal Terminal. Problems facing the Maputo port authority at present, however, are the size of vessels which can be accommodated and the failure of the port to guarantee services by certain deadlines. Added to this is the depth of the channel into the harbour which stretches out some 20km, and which will require considerable dredging to allow larger vessels to be berthed. Currently port fees in Maputo are lower than those at Richards Bay say users, but long lead times often make the Mozambique option more expensive to use. Others utilising Richards Bay with bulk loads are Sappi mills and Foskor, the latter having a stockpile of several millions of tons of magnetite at Phalaborwa which could be shipped at great saving through Maputo. If the port and rail line are working to satisfaction, there is no reason why this cannot be moved happily to Maputo, says Foskor senior manager logistics, Dr Hennie le Roux. There is also a considerable amount of traffic that will find its way to Maputo from the country's major manufacturing base in Gauteng, says Spoornet chief executive Zandile Jakavula. But there is agreement from all sectors that the rail service and the upgrading of the port must be in place in quick time if Maputo is to capture this awaiting market - or lose it to other outlets. Fruit is already moving from the region to Port Elizabeth, in a lengthy and costly transportation operation. A note of hope however has emerged from MPDC headquarters where chief executive Alec Don says his company expects to take over the concession to manage and rehabilitate the port within weeks. The company has secured finance to the value of $61million to undertake the necessary services, with the aim to push volumes up from a current four million tons to 4,6million instantly, he says.