The port of Beira, in the central province of Sofala, is expecting to double the cargo it handles within the next four years.Last year, according to the daily newspaper “Noticias”, the port handled 1.29 million tonnes of cargo. In the first half of 2011 it has handled 720,000 tonnes and projections indicate that by the end of the year the total will reach 1.4 million tonnes. The port dealt with over 105,000 containers last year and more than 67,000 in the first half of 2011.
These figures do not include coal from Moatize in the western province of Tete, which in September began being exported through a dedicated terminal. The port is expecting to handle over six million tonnes of coal per year.
In July the authorities completed the emergency dredging of the port’s access channel. As a result, the port can now receive ships up to Panamax size (60,000 tonnes) 24 hours a day.
According to a source in Cornelder Mocambique, which manages the port, after finishing the dredging the port managers designed a master plan to take into account the increased shipping capacity and the growth in cargo that will flow through the Sena and Machipanda railway lines.
“Now we are planning to invest in a new dock, a fertilizer terminal, and sugar and tobacco warehouses (which are almost completed). We will separate cargo and container terminals, so that each has an independent access route to avoid congestion”, said the source.
The source added that a public tender is to be launched soon for the acquisition of two container cranes, which are expected to be delivered by the end of 2012.
Cornelder Mocambique is also working to attract cargo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
These figures do not include coal from Moatize in the western province of Tete, which in September began being exported through a dedicated terminal. The port is expecting to handle over six million tonnes of coal per year.
In July the authorities completed the emergency dredging of the port’s access channel. As a result, the port can now receive ships up to Panamax size (60,000 tonnes) 24 hours a day.
According to a source in Cornelder Mocambique, which manages the port, after finishing the dredging the port managers designed a master plan to take into account the increased shipping capacity and the growth in cargo that will flow through the Sena and Machipanda railway lines.
“Now we are planning to invest in a new dock, a fertilizer terminal, and sugar and tobacco warehouses (which are almost completed). We will separate cargo and container terminals, so that each has an independent access route to avoid congestion”, said the source.
The source added that a public tender is to be launched soon for the acquisition of two container cranes, which are expected to be delivered by the end of 2012.
Cornelder Mocambique is also working to attract cargo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.