Mozambique’s Maputo port sees sharp drop in volumes after unrest
Mozambique’s Maputo port suffered a steep drop in shipments during the first half of the year amid trade uncertainties and social unrest, according to the company that runs its operations.
The port, a key hub in the global trade of chrome used to make stainless steel — handled 14-million tons of cargo from January through June, said Osório Lucas, chief executive officer at the Maputo Port Development Company. That represents a 14% decline on a year-on-year basis, he said in a virtual interview on Tuesday.
A combination of events, including months of demonstrations following Mozambique’s disputed October elections, contributed to the fall. Lower ferrochrome exports from South Africa due to electricity constraints in that country also played a role, he said.
Operated by a consortium that includes global logistics provider DP World, the port is the country’s largest and is a valuable source of Mozambique’s foreign exchange earnings. It’s also emerged as an increasingly important export terminal for South African coal and chrome producers that have struggled with inefficiencies at ports in their own country.
Volumes have been bouncing back in recent weeks and the port operator is assessing to see whether this continues, Lucas said.
“From May to now, we are seeing a very steep recovery,” he said. “It’s picking up to more than it was last year even.”
Comments
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Immersive Technologies is the world's largest, proven and tested supplier of simulator training solutions to the global resources industry.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
