The Companhia do Pipeline Moçambique-Zimbabué (CPMZ) plans to increase the annual fuel transport capacity of the Beira-Harare pipeline by 67%, raising throughput from the current three million to five million cubic metres by the end of 2027.
According to an official statement, the expansion is expected to add capacity to transport approximately two billion additional litres of fuel per year, reinforcing supply to Zimbabwe and other markets across southern Africa. The project's groundbreaking ceremony was held on 2 September in Nhamatanda, Sofala Province, and was attended by Mozambican President Daniel Chapo and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
CPMZ said the expansion will increase the supply of diesel, petrol, and aviation fuel to several regional markets, including Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project involves the construction of new pumping stations in Nhamatanda, Sofala Province, and in Messica, Manica Province. The works will be coordinated with a planned expansion of the Petrozim line between Feruka and Harare, with the aim of increasing transport capacity from the Port of Beira deep into southern Africa.
CPMZ confirmed that construction will be carried out without interrupting the pipeline's daily operations or compromising fuel supply to markets currently served by the corridor.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, President Chapo said the investment would reinforce Mozambique's position as a gateway for regional trade and energy supply. "The expansion of the CPMZ pipeline is an important investment in Mozambique's infrastructure and in the energy security of our region," he said. Chapo added that strengthening the link between the Port of Beira and the southern African hinterland would deepen economic cooperation with Zimbabwe and enhance Mozambique's role in regional logistics chains.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the increased capacity would improve his country's energy security while enabling fuel supply to markets beyond its borders. "The strengthening of the Beira-Harare corridor will support Zimbabwe's energy security while creating greater capacity to serve markets beyond our borders," he declared.
CPMZ board chairman António Laíce explained that the investment goes beyond the physical expansion of the pipeline and is expected to contribute to trade and industrial activity in the region. "This is an investment not only in pipeline infrastructure, but also in regional trade, industrial activity, and the long-term reliability of southern Africa's fuel supply network," he said.
The latest expansion follows works completed in 2024 that raised the pipeline's annual capacity from two million to three million cubic metres. CPMZ is also studying further options to meet projected demand growth over the coming decades. Among the alternatives under consideration is the possible replacement of the existing pipeline with a larger-diameter line, which could raise annual capacity to approximately 12 million cubic metres and meet projected demand through to 2050.
A possible extension of the Harare-Lusaka route to the Copperbelt region of Zambia is also being assessed, which would broaden the reach of the fuel supply network into the southern African interior. Stretching 294 kilometres, the pipeline connects the Port of Beira to Feruka in Zimbabwe and carries refined petroleum products. The infrastructure has been in operation since 1982 and is one of the principal energy links along the Beira Corridor.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=537336
