Maputo Port Dredging Pays Off

The Port of Maputo said in its latest release that the volume handled by the port in 2017 has grown 22%, adding that this result was positively affected by the dredging of the access channel, completed in January 2017.

Before dredging, with the channel at -11 meters chart datum, the maximum sailing draft of the vessels in Maputo and Matola was, on average, 12.20 meters and the maximum parcel size  varied between 50,000 and 55,000 tonnes.

“The dredging resulted in an increase of 40% to the average parcel size for Maputo Main Port and a 55% increase for Matola,” said the Maputo Port CEO, Osório Lucas. 

In July 2017, the Matola Coal Terminal (TCM) inaugurated the rehabilitation of its berth, which included deepening to -15.4 meters below chart datum along the quayside.

TCM has become the port’s first terminal to take full advantage of the dredging initiative, allowing fully-ladden Panamax vessels of up to 275 meters long, 14.5 meters of draft on neap tides and 15.5 meters on spring tides.

In 2017, the DP World Maputo Container Terminal also began its expansion works from 150.000 TEU’s to 250.000 TEU’s, scheduled for completion in the following weeks.

The works included the expansion for two rail sidings of 375 meters each in length. The second phase of expansion contemplates the increase to 450.000 TEU’s, dependent on market demand.

Maputo is also now preparing to receive vessels of even greater drafts, with the rehabilitation of berths 6, 7, 8 and 9 (a total of 1058 meters of berth) which will begin in the second quarter of 2018.

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