Warehousing demand in Mozambique is at a peak and space at a premium, according to Kevin Hutton, general manager of Beira Logistics Terminals (BLT).Estimates are that warehouses in Beira are at least 90% full or more, while vessels continue to arrive at the port to discharge.Speaking to Freight News, Hutton said it was an ongoing issue. “Trucking capacity has put a lot of strain on the market. Clients are unable to move cargo to the hinterland as quickly as before.”According to Hutton, the issue is simply not enough trucks, while volumes have increased significantly over a very short period of time. This vacuum of capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) affected the Beira Corridor in both directions.“During the first part of the year, we hardly moved any fertiliser through the Port of Beira due to the ongoing issue between Russia and Ukraine. This saw local stocks being completely depleted. With nothing available in the market for a long time, it was inevitable that everyone would be refilling at the same time.”The issue created the perfect storm in terms of volume and the lack of trucks – and sulphur volumes on the Beira Corridor are at an unprecedented high at present.This has seen BLT’s sister company, Independent Beira Logistics Terminals (IBLT), significantly invest in new warehousing capacity – specifically focusing on the bulk sector.Hutton said that currently there was not a single corridor running into the Copperbelt that was not at full capacity. “Customers are constantly commenting about the lack of trucks in all areas. Finding solutions to handle additional tonnage while keeping costs in line is a focus at the moment.”He added that the lack of truck capacity had had a major effect on volumes moving in and out of Beira. “The impact of this is that warehouses have filled up with slow-moving cargo going to the DRC. Clients are looking for extended free days of storage to reduce costs.”The challenge, said Hutton, was to manage space effectively and ensure that handling was quick and efficient for cargo going to regions in the hinterland other than the DRC.
