On Tuesday, November 18, the Government approved concession contracts for the construction and operation of natural gas reception, storage, regasification, and transport infrastructure at the Port of Beira, Sofala province, in central Mozambique.
According to a report by the Mozambique News Agency, the gas will come from the district of Inhassoro, Inhambane province, in the south of the country, which hosts exploration projects implemented by the South African company Sasol.
“The decision paves the way for the operationalisation of gas transport for the domestic market, ensuring a continuous supply to industries that depend on this resource. It also allows the unlocking of projects awaiting the allocation of gas quotas from the Rovuma Basin in Cabo Delgado,” explained Inocêncio Impissa, spokesperson for the Council of Ministers.
He clarified that the decree grants the concessionaire the exclusive right to carry out petroleum operations for the financing, construction, exploitation, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure for the import, reception, storage, treatment, and regasification of liquefied natural gas, as well as the pipeline system.
Recently, the National Logistics Director, Fernando Ouana, explained that an investment of USD 290 million is underway to modernise the Port of Beira and reposition the infrastructure as a regional logistics hub. He emphasised that the main concerns are the port’s inefficiency and the constraints in the connection with Zimbabwe via the Machipanda border. “We are working so that, in the coming years, the Beira Corridor meets the needs of the country and the region, ensuring greater fluidity and competitiveness for international trade,” he stated.
In his speech, Ouana highlighted that the Port of Beira currently operates under strong pressure, with frequent congestion and limited capacity at the container and general cargo terminals. “Despite the ongoing works, the investments made so far do not fully meet the growing demands of the corridor,” he noted.
The director added that the Government is studying solutions to expand the fuel terminal, increasing storage capacity from the current three million to five million cubic meters, and that new port unloading infrastructures are planned, connected to the pipeline linking Mozambique to Harare.
Last year, the port inaugurated a new refrigerated export yard aimed at increasing the handling capacity of chilled cargo for both export and import. The initiative was designed to meet growing demand for the transport of goods requiring strict temperature control, particularly citrus fruits and seafood, two of the main products exported through the Beira Corridor.
Source: Diário Económico
