Growth Prospects

The Maputo Corridor, which provides the shortest transit route to the sea for all the northern provinces of South Africa and the neighbouring regions, ends at the deepwater ports of Maputo and Matola.

In its heyday this great transit route carried about 40% of all exports from the Johannesburg and Transvaal areas, in addition to significant tonnages from neighbouring countries further north. Net foreign currency generated by transit traffic represented about 80% of Mozambique’s balance of trade deficit. But, a prolonged civil war and general economic malaise have, until recently, led to a decline in use of the Maputo Corridor.

Historically, throughput at Maputo (Lourenzo Marques) regularly exceeded 10m tpa and peaked in 1969 with a total of about 12.5m tpa. Substantial additional tonnages were shipped over the bulk terminals at Matola bringing the total for the whole port to about 18m tonne. By contrast, throughput in 2000 was only 3m tonne.

Construction of Mozal’s new US$2bn aluminium smelter has provided a powerful boost to Mozambique’s economy, which is reflected in port activity. Present day volumes exceed 4m tonne and significant growth is achievable.

The potential market includes South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. However, in the short and medium term, MPDC’s traffic projections include only the northern and eastern parts of South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique. In this catchment area South Africa accounts for 90% of GDP.

Compatible road and rail networks link all these productive hinterland areas, and significant new investment projects, aimed at modernising the cross-border transport systems, are now in progress. The new N4 Highway linking Maputo to Johannesburg was opened in 2000 and concessioning of the cross-border South African rail service to a privately managed consortium will shortly create a ‘seamless link’ from the region’s largest exporting zone directly into the ports of Maputo and Matola.

Key cargo categories handled at Maputo and Matola are as follows:

• Exports: Steel, Aluminium, Ferro-Alloys, Coal, Forest Products, Granite, Sugar, Molasses, Fruit and Containers.
• Imports: Grain, Rice, Alumina, Petcoke, Fertilizers, Petroleum, Vehicles, Containers, General Cargo and ‘Project’ Cargo.

Continuing regional integration between members of the South African Development Community (SADC) means that economic growth and co-operation is expected to continue well into the mid-term, and there is a strong upside to traffic projections for the Maputo Corridor.

More information can be found in the Maputo Corridor section.