Zambia to invest ‘heavily’ in inland ports

The Zambian government is investing US$50 billion to develop its waterways to serve as an alternative, more cost-effective transport mode in the landlocked country. “Zambia is about 35% rivers and lakes which are currently very underutilised and which can be developed to take the congestion off the roads,” said Yamfwa Makunga, Zambian minister of Public Works and Transport. He was speaking at last month’s Africa 2014 Transport and Infrastructure Show held in Sandton, Johannesburg. He said that increased road congestion and bureaucracy at border posts in the country was causing delays and adding to the already high cost of transport, not to mention increased carbon emissions. “The waterways are a sustainable, affordable and quicker mode of transport,” said Makunga. The funding of the waterways will go towards developing inland ports, with 19 ports having been earmarked for construction or upgrade. “A feasibility study is currently ongoing to look at further development of the Port of Mpulungu which serves as a gateway to the Lake Tanganyika Corridor,” noted Makunga. He told FTW on the sidelines of the conference that Zambia was also looking at signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with neighbouring countries such as Angola to develop joint waterway projects. Makunga said Zambia and Angola had signed an MoU to construct a US$40-million canal in Shang’ombo District to link the two countries. “Construction has started and we expect the project to be operational within the next two to three years.” Other plans include the procurement of cargo vessels to navigate the waterways, opening canals and developing inland dry ports. CAPTION Zambia’s Port of Mpulungu is the country’s main inland port and serves as the gateway to the Lake Tanganyika Corridor.