The first vessel to load almost 90,000 tons in the entire history of the port, leaving with a draft of 11.40 meters, departed on Thursday, December 1st. The MV Mineral Belgium, 289 meters long and 45 meters wide, is also the vessel with the most hatches to ever have docked in the port (a total of nine) which made the operation even more special in terms of maintaining efficiency. The loading operation was only possible due to the deepening dredging of the Maputo Port channel from the current -11 meters to -14.2 meters, which started in May and is scheduled to be completed in January 2017.

“This is an important milestone for the Port of Maputo as it is the first vessel to load more than 80,000 tons, something that 6 months ago was only dream! Today we are dreaming bigger and our next goal is to load a vessel with 100,000 tons,”said Osório Lucas, CEO of MPDC. MV Mineral Belgium has shipped 90.000 tons of ferro-chrome and chrome ore from only two customers.

The entire loading operation was carried out using mobile harbour cranes, part of MPDC’s recent investments in equipment, which on the one hand increased productivity and, on the other hand, improved the competitiveness of the port (since customers have the option to charter gearless vessels at a lower cost).

“This operation is of great importance to the Mining sector and for the economy of our country. Being able to have ships of this size to call the Port of Maputo means that we will become more competitive and that these ships will be able to make a direct stopover without having to go to other ports in the region, such as Durban and Richard’s Bay, “said the Minister of Transport and Communications, Eng. Carlos Mesquita. “It is critical that other partners in the logistics chain align their strategies in order to maintain the competitiveness of our ports,” added Mesquita.

Alongside the channel dredging, Maputo Port has recently commenced with the provision of bunkering services to all vessels, moored or at anchorage. The supply of fuels and lubricants are being carried out under an agreement between MPDC and Petromoc Bunkering and is part of a series of initiatives aimed at improving the services offered to shipping lines by the port, making it more competitive in the regional and international markets.

Rehabilitation of quays 6, 7 and 8 – a project developed alongside dredging to provide deep water berths – is currently under evaluation and is due to happen by 2017. These developments will provide deep-water berths to enable the port to respond to the growing demand also significantly increasing annual throughput.

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