Nacala port to unlock business opportunities
The $200 million (about K140 billion) Nacala Port investment, to improve infrastructure and equipment is set to unlock opportunities for Malawian businesses.
Two companies, Northern Development Corridor (CDN) and Central East African Railways (Cear), manage the operation of general freight at the port and railway infrastructure within Malawi and Mozambique.
The deep sea port is undergoing rehabilitation courtesy of investment from Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica) that will improve the northern and southern wharfs and triple its handling capacity from the current 90 000 metric tonnes (MT) to 270 000 MT by the end of 2017.
Speaking on Tuesday during a tour of the port by private sector, government officials and journalists, CDN Cear commercial director Fabio Duarte said the first phase of the project, which involved installing rubber tyred cargo cranes, fuel cranes and firefighting equipment, ended last year.
“The works have resulted in off loading of cargo with efficiency and safety. We have managed to unlock huge capacity for the port.
“Loading and transit time has tremendously improved and we have also reduced costs,” he said.
Duarte said Malawian businesses are the main beneficiaries of the works taking place at the port as more volumes of cargo will be handled with much more efficiency.
The works will result in doubling of movement of cargo from 12 to 24 per hour. This is against benchmark of Rotterdam Port of between 30 and 35 movements.
There have been security concerns of cargo at the port, but Duarte assured the delegation that they have employed more people and are installing closed circuit television (CCTV) to monitor activities at the port in real time.
“We have reduced incidences of theft by between 35 and 40 percent,” he said.
Some of the officials on the tour have come from Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera), National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma), Manica Malawi and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Malawi.
MSC Malawi branch manager Fyner Bakali said the Nacala Port and the corridor, that stretches from Liwonde through Cuamba, Entre Lagos and Nampula, is economically convenient for Malawian businesses.
“The route has the capacity to transport cargo in bulk at reasonable cost,” he said.
On the same day, a MSC ship, Nicole Voy ZN 610R, which arrived the day before, was off loading goods which came through Durban Port in South Africa destined for Mozambique and Malawi.
The goods will be transported through the Nacala corridor.
CDN and Cear have 15 years and 25 years concessions for rail lines north of Mozambique and railway line in Malawi respectively.
