Port of Maputo: 30.9 Million Tonnes Handled in 2024 Despite Challenging Context
Despite a challenging context, the Port of Maputo demonstrates robust performance in 2024. The Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) reported a total volume of 30.9 million tonnes handled, a slight 1% decrease compared to 2023, but demonstrating the Port of Maputo’s resilience and adaptability in the face of significant logistical challenges.
Growth in Direct Operations and Transport Volumes MPDC’s direct operations recorded notable progress, handling 14.2 million tonnes, a 14% increase compared to the previous year. Road volumes experienced significant growth, increasing by 11% year-over-year, from 9.5 million tonnes to 10.7 million tonnes. Rail volumes, which have been critical to MPDC’s sustainability strategy, increased by 7%, from 2.8 million tonnes to 3.019 million tonnes. These figures highlight MPDC’s ability to maintain a balanced distribution of transport modes, even amid logistical constraints.
A Complex Operational Context The slight decrease in total volumes – across all terminals at both the Port of Maputo and Port of Matola – was primarily due to post-election protests and road blockages in the Maputo corridor, including border closure for several days and conditional border and road operations for over a month. The rail corridor connecting South Africa to Mozambique was also affected by protests and blockages, combined with a derailment in October/November, which led to a month-long line closure.
Osório Lucas, CEO of MPDC states, “The Port of Maputo faced a challenging last quarter, but our team’s resilience, combined with our continued focus on diversification and efficiency, allowed us to maintain strong overall operational performance. The growth in our direct operations and transport volumes is proof of this.”
Growing Economic Contribution One of the highlights of 2024 is the increase in concession fees paid to the Mozambican government, reaching $46.8 million, a 12% increase compared to the $41.7 million paid in 2023. This increase demonstrates MPDC’s commitment to contributing to Mozambique’s economic development.
This contribution excludes additional contributions to the State, including profit taxes and dividends paid to its shareholder, Caminhos-de-Ferro de Moçambique (CFM).
Outlook for 2025: Expansion and Modernization 2025 will see the start of major expansion projects at the Port of Maputo, including the enlargement of the container terminal and coal terminal. These initiatives, planned for the first half of the year, constitute the two main pillars of the concession extension granted in early 2024, and represent a strategic investment in the Port’s future growth, ensuring it remains a key driver of trade and logistics in the region.
