Exporter pressure needed for Maputo to realise full potential

The propensity for shipping
citrus in containers is
here to stay, so perhaps
it’s not unreasonable that
there’s a degree of exporter
reluctance to export via
Maputo until the port comes
up with container services
to global markets.
And port authorities have
given the assurance this will
be forthcoming in the
near future.
To suggest, however, that
Maputo’s lack of container
capacity is holding back
citrus exporters, is a “gross
misrepresentation” of the
port’s ability to service
container lines as capacity
is presently underutilised,
argues Mitchell Brooke,
responsible for handling
Maputo issues on behalf
of the Citrus Growers’
Association (CGA).
Brooke says it is a fact
the citrus industry has
moved to containerisation,
currently at 67%, which
has impacted negatively
on citrus export volumes
from Maputo in that fruit
previously shipped from
the Mozambican port in
breakbulk is now being
diverted to Durban for
shipment in containers.
“This alone should not
impact the ability to export
more volumes through
Maputo; there is a reliable
and regular breakbulk
service to Europe and
Mediterranean markets,
and a greater chance to
load more ships to Russia
and Middle East markets.”
There is also, he argues,
an opportunity to ship
containers direct to Far
East, Mediterranean
and Middle East, either
via Singapore, Tanjung
Pelepas or Port Kelang,
though this is strongly
hindered by deals done
FOB to the Far East and
Middle East. Shipping
is therefore dictated by
the buyer determining
the loading port and
shipping line.