Grindrod to inject $80 mln in Mozambique port
Mozambique said on Wednesday it had given the green light for South African shipping and logistics company Grindrod to invest $80 million to expand coal and car handling at the port of Maputo.
Transport and Communications Minister Antonio Munguambe told Reuters that Grindrod, which owns 95 percent of the coal terminal and 12 percent of Maputo Port, had focused on the port's expansion to relieve congestion at South African ports.
"These are the developments we are looking for. Maputo coal terminal is expected to have a capacity of 1 million tonnes per year after work has been concluded in December," he said.
The minister said the expansion plans also included doubling that capacity in the coming years.
The terminal will be equipped to handle 63,000 vehicles per year, which could be increased further if necessary.
Munguambe said that the capacity of the ferrochromium terminal had been recently boosted to 1.3 million tonnes yearly.
Despite substantial investments made in several South African ports over the last few years and others still underway, some facilities are stretched, which could lead operators to use Maputo's port as an alternative.
One advantage of Maputo is that it is closer to the province of Gauteng, where South Africa's commercial capital of Johannesburg is located.
An increase in the export capacity of the South African automotive industry has also put significant pressure on port operators.
Transport and Communications Minister Antonio Munguambe told Reuters that Grindrod, which owns 95 percent of the coal terminal and 12 percent of Maputo Port, had focused on the port's expansion to relieve congestion at South African ports.
"These are the developments we are looking for. Maputo coal terminal is expected to have a capacity of 1 million tonnes per year after work has been concluded in December," he said.
The minister said the expansion plans also included doubling that capacity in the coming years.
The terminal will be equipped to handle 63,000 vehicles per year, which could be increased further if necessary.
Munguambe said that the capacity of the ferrochromium terminal had been recently boosted to 1.3 million tonnes yearly.
Despite substantial investments made in several South African ports over the last few years and others still underway, some facilities are stretched, which could lead operators to use Maputo's port as an alternative.
One advantage of Maputo is that it is closer to the province of Gauteng, where South Africa's commercial capital of Johannesburg is located.
An increase in the export capacity of the South African automotive industry has also put significant pressure on port operators.