Construction for the expansion of the Port of Maputo's container terminal, a project valued at $164 million, commenced this Monday. The undertaking is a collaboration between DP World and The Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), with Shafa Construções, EA, and Limitada executing Phase 1 of this two-year initiative.
The project aims to elevate the terminal's throughput from 255,000 TEUs to 530,000 TEUs annually. Enhancements include enlarging the container storage yard to 6.48 hectares, extending the quay by an additional 400 meters to a total of 650 meters in this phase, and deepening the berth draught from -12 meters to -16 meters. These modifications will permit the accommodation of post-Panamax-class vessels up to 366 meters in length.
An addition of over 700 reefer plugs will cater to the surge in agricultural exports, notably citrus products from Limpopo, South Africa, and Massingir, Mozambique. Mohammed Akoojee, DP World sub-Saharan Africa CEO and MD remarked on the company's over two-decade-long presence in Mozambique, emphasizing its significance as a regional trade hub. Captain Sumeet Bhardwaj, DP World Maputo CEO, and Osório Lucas, MPDC CEO, both highlighted the project's role in enhancing the port's strategic position and its contribution to Mozambique's development as a logistics nucleus in southern Africa.
The expansion is poised to bolster the Port of Maputo's competitiveness by accommodating larger vessels, thereby establishing Maputo as a prime transshipment hub in the region by 2026. This modernization effort is expected to improve operational efficiency, lower freight rates, and support Mozambican exporters and logistics operators, alongside generating new employment opportunities.
Source: Freight News