Mozambique Infrastructure Ports and Corridors

The Maputo Logistics Corridor is a transportation route consisting of both road and rail that connects Maputo to the Kingdom of Eswatini and the South African provinces of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng, the heart of South Africa’s economy. It is the shortest and most efficient route for South African freight to reach Maputo Port, with traffic volumes reaching 1600 heavy trucks per day and 30 million tons of freight per annum. However, it has challenges that need to be tackled to increase the efficiency and viability of the corridor.

Maputo Port presented a master plan for the expansion of the port with an expected duration of 10-20 years and a total investment of about 1.1 billion USD, excluding investments in the hinterland network. This plan comprises numerous projects and infrastructure developments at the port, including the expansion of the container terminal, improvement of the rail infrastructure including the rolling stock, development of an LNG import terminal, and improvement of other areas inside the port, such as road and storage areas. 

Infrastructure upgrades or expansion at the border could also be implemented to help decrease bottlenecks and waiting times. Additionally, infrastructure technology is needed at the Ressano Garcia/Lebombo border, widely known for its heavy congestion, to increase synergy between both countries, decrease wait times, and ultimately increase the annual volume of freight. 

The quality and size of the roads in Maputo leading to the port are already an issue and the overall increase of traffic in Maputo in recent years further strains operations. Traffic management planning is needed to solve traffic issues and increase efficiency. Opportunities could present themselves to U.S. companies to evaluate current routes being used and what changes could be made to improve efficiency.
 

For more information, contact us at office.maputo@trade.gov