The Mozambican government has granted a 15-year concession for the construction, operation, maintenance, and management of the Chongoene Port Terminal in Gaza province. This public-private partnership involves a joint venture between Chinese firm Desheng Port and the state-owned Mozambican Ports and Railways (CFM). The concession was formalized through a decree approved by the Council of Ministers on August 26, which outlines the legal framework for this public-private partnership. The decree
Category: Southern Africa
Transnet Secures $284 Million Loan from BRICS Bank for Turnaround Plan
South Africa’s state logistics company, Transnet, has obtained a 5 billion rand ($283.53 million) loan from the New Development Bank (NDB), established by the BRICS group of emerging economies. The South African government will guarantee the loan, announced by Director General Duncan Pieterse during a New Development Bank meeting in Cape Town. Transnet, which is grappling with approximately 130 billion rand in debt, has struggled with reliable freight rail and
Southern Africa’s Railways Surge with Global Investment Amid Copper Boom
Southern Africa’s railways are garnering international attention and attracting billions of dollars in investment, driven by the race to secure copper supplies essential for the energy transition. From Angola on the west coast to Tanzania on the east, governments and investors are poised to revive long-neglected rail lines and construct new ones. This surge in demand is largely fueled by the central African copperbelt shared by Zambia and the Democratic
Transnet Seeks Debt Relief as Freight and Port Services Struggle
South Africa’s state-owned logistics company, Transnet, is requesting debt relief from the government as it attempts to repair its balance sheet and restore its freight rail and port capacities, according to the company’s chairman, Andile Sangqu, on Tuesday. Transnet is burdened with 130 billion rand ($7.30 billion) in debt and has faced difficulties in providing adequate freight rail and port services due to equipment shortages and maintenance backlogs, stemming from
The US-Backed Railway and the New Era in African Copper Supply
As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, the US-backed Lobito Corridor is poised to revolutionize access to African copper resources. This ambitious project, linking Angola to the mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), challenges China’s dominance in critical mineral supply chains. With an estimated investment of $10 billion, the Lobito Corridor encompasses more than just railway construction. It includes roads, energy facilities, and telecommunications, fostering broader regional economic growth and
Port of Beira Reports 58% Surge in Container Handling Amid Strategic Upgrades
Mozambique’s Port of Beira has experienced a 58% year-on-year increase in container handling between January and May 2024, moving 161,000 containers compared to 102,000 during the same period in 2023. This significant growth was reported by Jan de Vries, CEO of Cornelder de Moçambique, the concession company managing the port. According to Agência de Informação de Moçambique (AIM), the port’s general cargo terminal also saw a rise in activity, handling
Maersk Ship Allegedly Carrying Hazardous Waste Disappears After Warning
A Maersk container ship, carrying an estimated 327 tonnes of potentially hazardous waste, vanished from radar after the international watchdog group, the Basel Action Network (BAN), alerted the South African government about its arrival. The ship, named Maersk Campton, was scheduled to dock in Cape Town on August 1 but went off the grid after the warning. The ship is the first of two vessels reportedly transporting 100 containers of
Fuel Transporters Avoid Zimbabwe Amid New Duty and Delays
Fuel transport operators to the Copperbelt are increasingly bypassing Zimbabwe due to a newly imposed duty aimed at curbing in-transit fuel theft. This development is leading to a significant shift in transportation routes. According to Mike Fitzmaurice, CEO of the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta), at least two major companies, which handle substantial market-share volumes, have already stopped using Zimbabwe as a transit route. This
Port of Durban Implements New Measures to Ease Container Congestion
Public and private stakeholders have agreed on a series of changes aimed at alleviating congestion and delays for harbour carriers at the Port of Durban. These adjustments primarily target the landside dispatch of containers and are set to be trialed over two weeks, starting from 06h00 on August 16. The changes focus on improving Transnet’s current truck-slot booking system, which has been plagued by IT failures, corruption, and inefficiencies, leading
CMA CGM Belem Loses 99 Containers Off Richards Bay Amid Severe Weather
The container vessel CMA CGM Belem, sailing under the Maltese flag, encountered severe weather off the coast of Richards Bay over the weekend, resulting in the loss of 99 containers. The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) confirmed the incident, attributing it to a “significant stow collapse” during rough conditions on Friday night. Initially, the vessel sought refuge in Maputo Bay, but after further assessment, it was redirected to Gqeberha