The Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) has commissioned two new Liebherr mobile harbour cranes at a combined cost of US$13.2 million, bringing the total number of such units in operation to eight. The new equipment forms part of a broader fleet renewal programme and will progressively replace mobile cranes 1 and 2, which are among the oldest in service at the Port of Maputo.
The inauguration ceremony, held on Thursday at Berth 7, was presided over by Minister of Transport and Logistics João Matlombe, who framed the investment within the modernisation programme linked to the extension of the Maputo Port concession. The minister stressed that infrastructure expansion inside the port must be matched by improvements across the wider logistics chain, including the railway network, the Ressano Garcia border post, and road connections.
'More than an increase in the number of pieces of equipment, this investment that we witness today represents the advancement of a process of modernisation and renewal of the port's operational capacity through the progressive replacement of older equipment with more modern, productive and efficient technology,' Matlombe said.
The minister said the objective is to ensure that capacity gains within the port precinct are not undermined by bottlenecks elsewhere along the logistics corridor. Matlombe highlighted ongoing investments in rail capacity, at the Ressano Garcia border crossing, at Kilometre 4, in road circulation, and in the integration of systems involved in cargo movement.
'Our objective is that the gains achieved within the port precinct are not cancelled out by constraints at other points along our corridor. Cargo must be able to move continuously, predictably and safely, from its point of origin to the vessel, and in the reverse direction as well,' he said.
MPDC Executive Director Osório Lucas described the new cranes as preparation for a new phase of growth in port operations. Each unit has a handling capacity of between 360 and 400 tonnes per hour, and is expected to contribute to higher productivity, greater operational availability, and improved service quality for clients.
'This is an important investment, not only for its cost, but for what it represents for the future of our operations, for the people, and for this port that is reborn every day,' Lucas said, adding that MPDC now operates eight cranes of this series.
Lucas also disclosed that the Port of Maputo currently handles more than 15 million tonnes of cargo per year, compared with less than 15 million tonnes when the cranes now being retired first entered service. He said the company is targeting throughput in excess of 17 million tonnes this year, but cautioned that achieving that growth requires investment not only in machinery but also in people, systems, and infrastructure.
'No productivity target, no record, stands above the safety of people. These cranes are here to help us work better, but they must also help us work more safely,' Lucas said.
The commissioning of the new equipment also coincides with the port's ongoing digitalisation efforts through the Port Community System (PCS) and initiatives to integrate the various stakeholders across the logistics chain. MPDC has indicated that the combination of physical capacity, digitalisation, workforce development, and corridor-level investment will be decisive in reinforcing the competitiveness of the Port of Maputo in regional trade.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=536999
