South Africans embark on massive investments in Mozambican port
A South African firm, Grindrod, has embarked on an US$80 million investment in Maputo port as part of its efforts to substantially increase the capacity of the port’s coal and car terminals.
Grindrod, which owns 95 per cent of the coal terminal and 12 per cent of Maputo port itself, has focused on the Mozambican capital’s dock to relieve congestion from home ports.
"The Maputo coal terminal is expected to have a capacity of one million tonnes per year after work as been concluded in December, although plans also call for the doubling of volume over the next few years," Grindrod Director Dave Rennie said Wednesday.
Rennie said in terms of the vehicle terminal, this will be equipped to handle 63,000 vehicles annually, which could be increased to 250,000 per year if necessary.
Rennie noted that Maputo port’s ferrochromium (iron ore) terminal’s capacity had been recently increased to 1.3 million tonnes per year.
Despite substantial investments made in several South African ports over the last few years and others which are still underway, some port facilities there are at a breaking point.
This has led South African operators to look to Maputo harbour as an alternative port to serve South African and regional markets.
One of the great advantages of Maputo is that it is closer to the province of Gauteng, where Johannesburg and Pretoria are located, South Africa’s economic and political capitals.
Grindrod, which owns 95 per cent of the coal terminal and 12 per cent of Maputo port itself, has focused on the Mozambican capital’s dock to relieve congestion from home ports.
"The Maputo coal terminal is expected to have a capacity of one million tonnes per year after work as been concluded in December, although plans also call for the doubling of volume over the next few years," Grindrod Director Dave Rennie said Wednesday.
Rennie said in terms of the vehicle terminal, this will be equipped to handle 63,000 vehicles annually, which could be increased to 250,000 per year if necessary.
Rennie noted that Maputo port’s ferrochromium (iron ore) terminal’s capacity had been recently increased to 1.3 million tonnes per year.
Despite substantial investments made in several South African ports over the last few years and others which are still underway, some port facilities there are at a breaking point.
This has led South African operators to look to Maputo harbour as an alternative port to serve South African and regional markets.
One of the great advantages of Maputo is that it is closer to the province of Gauteng, where Johannesburg and Pretoria are located, South Africa’s economic and political capitals.