Shipping News South Africa

Port Maputo has advantage over Richards Bay, Durban ports

According to BDLive, Mozambique's Port Maputo has benefited from its proximity to South Africa's economic and mineral hubs as well as its rail capacity constraints. The port's capacity almost doubled between 2005 and last year. Port Maputo handled about 12-million tons of cargo last year - twice 2005's figure of just more than 6-million tons.

The Maputo Port Development Company says growth is only possible if a rail logistics solution is found. Transit exports account for 70% of the port's operations, with South Africa providing 82%. The port has a geographical advantage over Richards Bay and Durban's ports, being the closest to the Gauteng industrial hub and South Africa's main mining regions, BDLive reports.

Maputo Port Development spokeswoman Soraia Abdula says improvements in port infrastructure such as warehousing and berths will allow the port to maximise its capacity. Of the transit cargo that arrived from South Africa, 15% came by rail, while 85% was transported by road, Abdula says.

Read the full article on www.bdlive.co.za

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