The Port of Maputo achieved a new handling record in 2022, registering growth of 20% over 2021.

The total volume handled last year was 26.7-million tons, compared with 22.2-million tons in 2021.

This growth reflects the efficient use of rehabilitated berths 6, 7, 8 and 9, inaugurated in May last year, and the implementation of 24-hour operations at the Lebombo-Ressano Garcia border post in April.

“The port has definitely been reaping the fruits of the major infrastructure developments performed in the last four years,” says Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) CEO Osório Lucas.

“The decision of the government of Mozambique to establish a 24-hour border operation has also positively impacted on the whole Maputo Corridor.

“Paired with the investments made by the port in systems, including system integration with entities such as Customs and Km4, which contributed to the improvement in efficiencies, we have registered this growth in port volumes.”

Rail volumes for chrome and ferrochrome registered a sharp increase of 73%, compared with the previous year (from 1.4-million tons in 2021, to 2.4-million tons in 2022).

The rail-to-road ratio has also shown improvement from 21:79 in 2021, to 26:74 in 2022.

“Rail stakeholders have continued to address the need for more balanced volumes between rail and road cargo,” notes Lucas.

“The formalisation of block trains between South Africa and Mozambique, without change of locomotives, was a step ahead in the continuous search for improved rail efficiency.”

The investment and implementation of automation solutions within the port continued throughout 2022, and will see an even bigger consolidation this year, with the implementation of systems to improve efficiency in the logistics supply chain, says Lucas.

For 2023, when the twentieth anniversary of the concession is celebrated, MPDC says it remains optimistic, with good prospects of continued growth.

“We are already implementing our new masterplan for the Port of Maputo and thinking ahead of the challenges that the future will present to us,” says Lucas.

“We are currently trying to find creative solutions to increase our footprint to [address] the growing demand for the port.

“An ongoing assessment and consultation will identify possible efficiency improvements to increase throughput. Moreover, we will be commissioning additional equipment, such as mobile harbour cranes and supporting equipment, to improve our turnaround time and throughput,” says Lucas.