The forecasted return later this year of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) megaproject operated by the French company TotalEnergies in Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin, in Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique, is raising optimism in the projections for the Port of Mocímboa da Praia, a “strategic infrastructure” that was rehabilitated in 2023.
“The megaprojects are our pillars. The current cargo handling is far below the installed capacity, so there is great expectation regarding the resumption of activities by TotalEnergies, which will fully boost the regional economy,” said Helénio Turzão, administrator of the Port of Mocímboa da Praia, in an interview with Lusa.
Despite the optimism, the official clarified that some caution is needed, as the cargo linked to gas projects is short-term. “What ensures the sustainability of any port is long-term cargo, and that will always result from local initiative. In this regard, we must invest in cabotage.”
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The forecasted return later this year of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) megaproject operated by the French company TotalEnergies in Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin, in Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique, is raising optimism in the projections for the Port of Mocímboa da Praia, a “strategic infrastructure” that was rehabilitated in 2023.
“The megaprojects are our pillars. The current cargo handling is far below the installed capacity, so there is great expectation regarding the resumption of activities by TotalEnergies, which will fully boost the regional economy,” said Helénio Turzão, administrator of the Port of Mocímboa da Praia, in an interview with Lusa.
Despite the optimism, the official clarified that some caution is needed, as the cargo linked to gas projects is short-term. “What ensures the sustainability of any port is long-term cargo, and that will always result from local initiative. In this regard, we must invest in cabotage.”
According to Turzão, in 2024, the Port of Mocímboa da Praia handled 15,000 tons of assorted cargo and 10 million liters of fuel, while in the first quarter of 2025, around 4,000 tons of goods and five million liters of fuel were moved.
“From a security standpoint, since operations resumed, we haven’t had any incidents. There have been reports and news of incidents in nearby regions, but not within the area of influence of Mocímboa da Praia,” he assured.
On the night of August 12, 2020, the armed groups that have been carrying out attacks in Cabo Delgado since 2017 invaded the Port of Mocímboa da Praia, and clashes with the Defense and Security Forces resulted in an unknown number of deaths to this day, including members of the maritime force, as well as the destruction of several infrastructures.
When government forces recaptured Mocímboa da Praia in 2021, the port was completely devastated, along with the cargo belonging to several clients that was on site. The infrastructure, strategically located for the province, had to be rehabilitated through a process that included the construction of a new quay and the restoration of the container yard, with total investments exceeding 13.5 million US dollars.
Mocímboa da Praia was looted, and nearly all public and private infrastructure was destroyed, including power, water, communication systems, and hospitals. In total, around 62,000 people—nearly the entire population—fled the coastal town due to the conflict that began five and a half years ago, particularly following mass escapes after a surge in rebel activity in June 2020.
The recovery of Mocímboa da Praia was the result of joint operations by Mozambican forces, Rwandan troops, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the latter of which has since withdrawn from the country.
The district is located 70 kilometers south of the construction site of the natural gas exploration project led by TotalEnergies. The coastal town was the location of the first attack by armed groups in October 2017 and was, for a long time, described as the rebels’ “stronghold.”
TotalEnergies to Resume Operations in Mid-2025
The French multinational TotalEnergies recently confirmed that it will resume activities on the Mozambique LNG project by mid-2025. The project has been suspended since April 2021 due to security instability in Cabo Delgado. The announcement was made by the company’s CEO, Patrick Pouyanné, during the presentation of the fourth quarter 2024 results.
With a total estimated investment of 20 billion US dollars (1.2 trillion meticals), the project was halted following a wave of insurgent attacks near the town of Palma, which led to the declaration of force majeure. Currently, according to the company’s executive, the operations site is “completely secure,” with full reactivation of the project now awaiting the finalization of financial arrangements.
“We expect to restart activities by mid-2025,” said Pouyanné, emphasizing that the official lifting of the force majeure status is contingent upon the approval of pending financing and institutional guarantees. Among these, the involvement of the United States Government stands out, with a decision on the revalidation of support expected to be made official in the coming weeks.
Mozambique LNG, considered one of the largest liquefied natural gas projects in Africa, is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 12.8 million tons in its initial phase. Its implementation is seen as a strategic milestone for the Mozambican economy, with the potential to generate substantial revenues and position the country as a significant player in the global energy landscape.
In March 2025, the U.S. Export-Import Bank (US ExIm Bank) revalidated a loan of 4.7 billion US dollars (296 billion meticals), a step considered crucial for enabling the project’s resumption. A new financing package of approximately 7 billion US dollars (441 billion meticals) is also under review, to be backed by U.S. financial institutions.
