Ongoing upgrades will
ensure the Port of Maputo
is ready to handle the
expected growth in volumes of
mineral exports, said Dr Osorio
Lucas, CEO of the Maputo
Port Development Company
(MPDC).
While there has already been
major investment in the port in
recent years, far-reaching plans
to deepen the channel as well as
strengthen and deepen berths are
in the pipeline.
“The planned investment
in the port from now to 2030
is some $1.7 billion,” said
Dr Lucas. “The first phase of
construction on the channel
deepening and the work on the
berths is expected to start early
next year.”
He said a short-term
investment of about $355 million
had been set aside for the next
five years and would help the
port achieve its long-term goal
– to be one of southern Africa’s
top mineral exporters.
“The container terminal and
bulk handling facilities will also
be expanded to give us the extra
capacity that we will need.”
According to Dr Lucas, some
$834 million will be spent on
the coal terminal, another $300
million on the container terminal
and a sum of $104 million on the
bulk terminal.
“The dredging of the channel
to 14 metres will cost about $47
million while a further $247
million will be used to upgrade
the road and rail infrastructure
within the port.”
While the Maputo Port has
consistently seen an increase
in containerised cargo over
the past few years, it remains
predominantly a bulk port
shipping out various metals
and minerals. Ferrochrome and
chrome ore from Zimbabwe and
South Africa, magnetite from
Phalaborwa in South Africa,
coal from South Africa and more
recently Botswana and iron ore
from Swaziland make up the
bulk of the minerals shipped
from the port.
“Looking at the increase in the
minerals we handle it is clear
that rail is an important part of
our long-term vision as it is the
most efficient way to move these
commodities. At the same time
our berth utilisation at present
is very high and they are old,”
he said. “The only feasible
way we can address these
challenges is by investing in
new infrastructure. That means
building new berths and also
increasing the capacity of our
current berths.”
CAPTION
Dr Osorio Lucas … ‘The planned
investment from now to 2030 is some
$1.7 billion.’
