Transit facility in port saves time and money

According to newly appointed Maputo Intermodal Container Depot (MICD) chief executive officer Allison Pinheiro, shippers are saving time and money by using the MICD, which is situated adjacent to the DP World Container Terminal in the Port of Maputo. Opened in May 2014, the 54 000-sqm facility, including an 8000-sqm warehouse, can accommodate 2500 empty and/ or full containers on the ground at any given time, a throughput of 240 000 tons pa of mining minerals and a throughput of 240 000 tons pa of undercover cargo. No bulk minerals are handled in the warehouse, unless bagged, as it is a “clean” facility, she says. The MICD is a joint venture between DP World Dubai and Grindrod Mauritius. It has the concession for the storage, handling, packing/ unpacking of containers and associated activities in the port until 2033. The facility was developed to create more space for cargo handling in the port, and to grow volumes through Maputo by providing additional services within the port boundaries, she says. Services include the transport of full and empty containers from and to the container terminal, stuffing and destuffing of containers and consolidations in the bonded warehouse. Containers are prepared on-site where there is a wash bay for both 20- and 40- foot containers. The MICD will also carry out inspections and do minor repairs of containers. Reefers will be inspected and cleaned before they are packed and there are reefer points on site for pre-trip inspections. The terminal is also designed to handle the packing of food products at ambient temperature. The reefers will then be transported to the container terminal to be plugged in. “Fruit can be packed directly from truck to reefer container, and be plugged in at DP World within a few hours,” says Pinheiro. Being within the port limits and within sight of the container terminal means that there are no delays when moving full containers into the stack area ahead of vessel loading within stack dates, says Pinheiro. CAPTION The MICD facility... developed to create more space for cargo handling in the port.