The Port of Maputo serves as a key gateway for South African, Zimbabwean and Zambian exports.
By Blue Africa News
The expansion of container and coal terminals at Mozambique’s Maputo Port is set for completion in the first quarter of 2027.
Expansion of the two terminals is part of a four-year €426 million project launched in 2024, aimed at strengthening and expanding the capacity of Maputo Port – the largest in the Southeast African nation.
“We expect to complete the expansion of the container terminal in the first quarter of 2027, and the expansion of the coal terminal also in the first quarter of 2027,” said Osório Lucas, executive director of the concessionaire Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), as quoted by clubofmozambique.com.
“The general cargo terminal has already been expanded and by the end of this year we will begin the construction of 400 metres of quay between quays two and four,” added Lucas, who spoke on the sidelines of the 9th Biannual Maputo Port Conference, held on April 22, in Maputo.
With all the upgrade works ongoing in the background, Lucas said they expect successful completion in 2028 .
“Our expectation is that 2028 will be a year of achievements, given the investments we are making at this time,” he said.
As the expansion works continue, MPDC is also investing in new equipment for effective handling of cargo. According to the executive director, two cranes valued at US$13 million each with a capacity of 105 tonnes are expected to arrive in the coming months.
“With those cranes, we will have the capacity to handle around 400 tonnes per hour. It may not sound like much, but it significantly accelerates our growth, and these are also the cranes that have enabled the growth of Maputo Port, alongside other initiatives such as digitalisation, a training centre we have, and an exceptional workforce.”
MPDC is a national private company born from a partnership between the Mozambican Railway Company and Portus Indico, a consortium comprising Grindrod, DP World and Mozambique Gestores, a local company.
In April 2003, MPDC was given the concession of Maputo’s Port for a period of 15 years, with an extension option of another 15. The concession period was extended for another 15 years in June 2010, while in February 2024, the government awarded an extension until 2058 based on a plan to expand the port capacity.
As such, MPDC holds the right to finance, rehabilitate, construct, operate, manage, maintain, develop and optimize the entire concession area.
Equally, MPDC also holds the powers of a Port Authority, being responsible for maritime operations, piloting towing (tugboats), stevedoring, terminal and warehouse operations, as well as port’s planning development.
The Port of Maputo primarily handles bulk minerals (chrome, coal, magnetite, ferrochrome, iron ore), vehicles, containers, sugar and vegetable oils, in the process serving as a key gateway for South African, Zimbabwean and Zambian exports.
DP World Maputo CEO Sumeet Bhardwaj says their operations in Mozambique are turning into a ‘game changer,’ as the company pushes forward with investments to enhance the Maputo container terminal.
“We are expanding the container yard by an additional 6.5 hectares, taking our capacity from 255,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) to 530,000 TEUs,” said Bhardwaj as quoted by Forbes Africa.
“Mozambique has a young, skilled workforce and a government that is open to investment. With the right infrastructure, the nation is ready to step onto the global stage, and DP World is proud to be part of that journey.”
Other ports in the country including Matola are also undergoing infrastructural upgrades as the country seeks to advance its position as a strategic South African regional gateway.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News