Malawi plan to build new port at Liwonde

Malawi Minister of Transport and Public Works Francis Kasaila has said the Liwonde dry port to be constructed by Mota-Engil will reduce the cost of transporting goods from the port of Nacala in Mozambique into Malawi.
Discussions between the Portuguese construction conglomerate, Malawi Government and others on the construction of the port are currently underway and will be concluded within two weeks from now.
According to Kasaila, the port will have a significant impact on the transport sector as it will reduce the tonnage of goods transported by road.
“Water transportation is generally cheap and we expect the cost of transporting goods from Nacala to reduce by about 60 percent and this will trickle down to the consumers.

“The facility will be supported and managed by private investors and, in that way, we will ensure its sustainability. We believe that the cost of goods is generally high in Malawi due to the absence of such facilities as the port,” he said.
Kasaila said upon operation, they expect more people to directly benefit through employment and increased business opportunities.
Mota-Engil spokesperson Thomas Chafunya said they are equally excited with the project as it will help Malawi to transform from being a landlocked country to a hinterland with modern and high standard link to the deep sea port in Mozambique.
“We are equally upbeat about this project but more details will be made available after these consultations. The dry port will help guarantee an efficient and orchestrated service minimising waste and transit time.
“Malawi will be easily accessible from the outside world. Small-scale businesses will have a platform that provides a one-stop shop enabling them to export and import in a faster and efficient manner while providing access to a faster and cost effective mode of transport,” he said.
Chafunya said the port will be a catalyst for regional development and the creation of an export processing zone (EPZ).
The Liwonde dry port will be located on the junction of two main rail lines and it will serve as a trade hub or extended gate for Malawi’s imports and exports.
Chafunya said the location of the port has access to different modes of transport; road, water and rail with high capacity access to Nacala railway line.
“Being located between two most biggest urban and industrial poles of Blantyre and Lilongwe will also help more Malawians access the area with ease. The port will also cater for imports such as fertiliser, sulfur, cement, lime, fuel and lubricants and others thereby drastically reducing high costs of freight,” he said.