The completion of a major rail rehabilitation project linking Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, with Balaka in the south has paved the way for the resumption of thermal and coking coal exports from Mozambique. This development is expected to boost coal trade between the two nations, particularly from Mozambique’s coal-rich Tete Province. While international investors have reduced their involvement in local mining operations due to environmental concerns, Mozambique’s coal reserves continue to
Category: Southern Africa
Zambia Joins Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency to Boost Regional Trade
In a significant move to enhance regional trade and transportation, Zambia has officially become a full member of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA). The agreement was signed by Minister of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Eng. Counsel Museba Frank Tayali, during the Interstate Council of Ministers Meeting in Kinshasa, DRC. The high-level meeting was chaired by Jean-Pierre Bemba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of the DRC.
Zimbabwe Opens Rail Network to Private Players Amid Rising Mineral Demand
Zimbabwe’s state-owned railway operator, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), has opened its network to private companies, including a unit of South Africa’s Grindrod, to boost freight volumes that have plummeted after years of underinvestment. Once transporting 12 million tons of cargo annually in the 1990s, NRZ now hauls less than 3 million tons due to a lack of locomotives and poor infrastructure maintenance. This decline was exacerbated by a sharp
Zambia Signs MoU to Boost Trade Through Lobito Corridor
The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Quality Institutions (NQI) to implement the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project, supported by an African Development Bank grant of US$8.1 million. This project aims to enhance both domestic and cross-border trade between Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The NQI comprises key regulatory bodies, including the Zambia Metrology Agency
Congo Airways Granted 90-Day Moratorium to Resume Operations and Expand Fleet
Congo Airways SA has been granted a 90-day moratorium by the International Civil Aviation Organization (IATA) and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Civil Aviation Authority. The Ministry of Transport, Communication Routes, and Disenclavement announced this extension on Monday, September 16, 2024, via their official X account. This moratorium is intended to allow Congo Airways to finalize the return to service of one of its Airbus A320 aircraft, registered as 9S-AKD,
DRC Relaunches Air Congo with Inaugural Flight Set for December
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), under Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, has revived its plans to establish a new national airline, “Air Congo SA.” During the 14th Council of Ministers meeting held on Friday, September 20, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, confirmed that the project, stalled since 2023, is back on track. The inaugural flight is scheduled for December 1,
Transnet Enhances South African Port Operations with New Shore Tension Units
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has delivered six hydraulic shore tension units to the Ports of Cape Town and Ngqura, aiming to reduce shipping and cargo delays caused by high swells and adverse weather conditions. This recent delivery increases the total number of units to 12, part of a larger batch of 52 shore tension systems procured in September 2023. Previously, eight units were already installed at these ports. The
TAAG Partners with Habana Forwarding to Expand Cargo Services
TAAG, Angola’s national airline, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Habana Forwarding to enhance the transport of cargo and mail on the Luanda-Lisbon-Luanda and Luanda-Havana-Luanda routes. The one-year renewable agreement positions TAAG as Habana Forwarding’s preferred operator, enabling the transportation of diverse cargo to intercontinental destinations, particularly in the Americas, Africa, and Europe. The agreement was formalized by TAAG’s commercial director, Miguel Carneiro, and Habana Forwarding’s chairman, Cenén Portuindo
New Luanda Airport Set for November Launch as Transfer Process Nears Completion
Domestic and international flights at Dr. António Agostinho Neto Airport (AIAAN) are scheduled to begin in the second half of November, according to António Pombal, the general director of the Temporary Operator of the New Luanda Airport (ATO). Speaking during the third integrated operational test simulation, Pombal confirmed that airlines are currently reprogramming flight codes and adjusting operational and logistical procedures. The transfer of operations from the 4 de Fevereiro
Daimler Truck Warns of Unsustainable EV Targets Amid Infrastructure Shortcomings
On Monday, Daimler Truck raised concerns about the rapid pace of electric vehicle (EV) adoption and the unsustainable costs associated with meeting decarbonization targets. Dr. Andreas Gorbach, a board member at Daimler Truck AG and head of its truck technology division, stressed that the burden is not on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) but rather on the lack of supporting infrastructure. Speaking ahead of the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) Transportation show, Gorbach