The Maputo Corridor is continuing to play a pivotal role in facilitating economic development and trade for landlocked southern Africa. One of the critical components of this corridor is the Port of Maputo, which has developed to meet the growing demands of the mineral export industry. According to Neusa Monjane Saranga, commercial director of MPDC, the allocation of a new three-hectare slab will boost the port’s annual handling capacity, which is set to increase to 12.4 million tonnes upon the activation of this new fa cilit y.“The market's demand for minerals has risen by an additional four million tonnes. Our customers have already completely occupied this new slab, which boasts an annual handling capacity of 1.2 million tonnes. In response, we are actively implementing strategies to enhance ef f icienc y, aiming to maximise our handling volu me s."The dedicated slab is equipped with a specialised weighbridge and supplemented by additional equipment and staffing investments. “It forms an integral part of the port's Phase 1 expansion programme targeting bulk, breakbulk and container capacity upgrades to ride the mineral export boom,” said Saranga.While chrome and ferrochrome remain significant contributors to the cargo volumes, Saranga said the port had diversified its mineral portfolio over the last two years, attracting a broader spectrum of commodities, from vanadium and lithium to logs. As a result of these enhancements, the Port of Maputo is poised to handle an excess of 30 million freight tonnes in 2023, solidifying its reputation as the Indian Ocean gateway to the mineral-rich hinterlands of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Furthermore, the port has clinched transport deals with producers further afield in Africa amid heightening global supply chain diversification dynamics.
