More than 13.6 million tonnes of coal were transported from Moatize, in Tete province, to the Port of Nacala, in Nampula, via Malawi last year, Rádio Moçambique (RM) reported on Tuesday, April 2.
The agency explains that the coal was transported under the concession agreement between the now defunct Vale Logistics Limited, now Vulcan Logistic Limited, and the Malawi government, for the passage of coal trains to the Port of Nacala.
In addition to the volume of cargo handled, Malawi has seen substantial development and strategic positioning for the future in the railway sector, towards effective regional integration, adds RM.
According to the country’s director of rail services, Geoffrey Magwede, this exercise has shown that rail transport is an efficient and economical alternative to road transport for regional trade. With the interconnection with Mozambique, Malawi benefits from direct rail access to the ports of Nacala and Beira.
Geoffrey Magwede also announced that the neighbouring country has launched a feasibility study, through the hiring of a consultant, whose project will be completed this year, for the expansion of the railway to the north of Malawi that will maintain a link with Tanzania.
The Malawian government has been focusing on rehabilitating the railway network to transfer around 60 per cent of its cargo from the roads to the railways, as a way of reducing costs and increasing benefits, which will help to bring down inflation in the country.
