The Beira Corridor is making waves on the trade front, recording a significant increase in shipping volumes, fuelled by the port's inf lux of new shipping lines. The port surge is attributed to the rising demand for critical minerals in the hinterland countries it serves and highlights the corridor's growing significance. The transformation is reshaping it into a more attractive and competitive hub for southern African trade activities, solidifying its position as a critical player in the regional economic landscape.Jan De Vries, executive managing director at Cornelder de Mocambique, is upbeat about the region's corridors, thanks to a booming mineral market."The arrival of new shipping lines at the Port of Beira clearly shows that we are in an excellent position to serve the southern African cluster. With a continuous uptick in the mineral market, especially those essential for global energy and climate objectives, we anticipate remarkable and unprecedented growth," he told Freight News.Investments in the port are ongoing to implement enhanced operational procedures and integrate digitalisation. A new automated vehicle entry system and a truck appointment system have been introduced that validate each booking through the container terminal's online customer portal. This has not only alleviated congestion but also streamlined cargo f low. The port is working towards enabling customers to make truck bookings any time through a self-service system.Additionally, the port introduced a Reefer Monitoring System (RMS), enabling real-time monitoring of reefers for both customers and shipping lines."We're witnessing a rise in reefer cargo at the port, prompting us to expand plug points from 144 to 300. The completion of this project is anticipated in the first quarter of 2024. This expansion is a response to the growing imports of frozen cargo and heightened interest from Zimbabwean citrus exporters in utilising Beira.Throughout the year, three new shipping lines — ONE, Unifeeder, and COSCO — have commenced operations at the port, significantly enhancing service levels for cargo drivers and reaffirming Beira's effectiveness as a trade route."According to De Vries, upgrades and changes are not limited to the port but extend along the entire corridor. He highlights the corridor's strategic importance as it connects with hinterland countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), rich in critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements. These minerals are vital components in the rapidly expanding clean energy technologies.Zimbabwe has already positioned itself as a significant player in the global lithium market, while the DRC is one of the world's largest producers of copper and cobalt. The DRC's mining sector is anticipated to grow in response to increasing global demand for these minerals. The heightened demand for these minerals significantly impacts regional cargo volumes, positively inf luencing the business along the Beira corridor."We believe that the Port of Beira's efficiency stands as the foremost differentiator on this corridor, closely followed by the effectiveness of border posts and road links. Our ongoing efforts are dedicated to solidifying the Port of Beira's reputation as the most efficient in southern Africa, positioning it as the premier choice among all neighbouring terminals," said De Vries.
