Maputo makes dredging project a priority for 2016

Results published by the

Maputo Port Development

Company (MPDC) ref lect

the drop in commodity

exports from the region.

According to the company

it handled 15.6 million tons

in 2015.

This is a decrease of

19.17% compared to the

19.3 million tons handled

in 2014.

According to MPDC

executive director Osório

Lucas, the largest losses

were recorded in coal and

magnetite volumes.

However, the car and

sugar terminals were also

down.

In response to the global

downturn MPDC set in

motion in mid-2015 a

strategy of diversification of

its markets and continued

with the level of investment

in its port infrastructure

expansion programme that

has marked recent years.

“The goal of achieving

a handling capacity of 40

million tons by the end of

the concession (in 2043)

remains,” says Lucas.

For 2016, although the

downward trend in the

international markets

continues, MPDC will

continue to invest in line

with the Masterplan of the

Port of Maputo.

The dredging of access

channels to the port to

accommodate vessels with

a draught of 14.2 metres

is the major project for

2016 and will make the

port more competitive by

allowing cost savings to the

shipping lines.

The additional draught

provided by the dredging

project will ensure the port

is capable of accommodating

80 000-ton vessels on 75%

of the high tides

– 60 000-ton

vessels are the

largest the port

can handle at

present.

Work is

expected to

be completed

in the fourth

quarter of 2016.