Expansion works begin to double capacity at Maputo container terminal

The $165 million expansion of DP World’s container terminal at the Port of Maputo in Mozambique officially started on site yesterday.

"The expansion of the container terminal at the Port of Maputo is part of a long-term strategy to meet global trade demands, create thousands of new jobs and contribute to Mozambique’s economic growth," said DP World.

"The project will significantly enhance capabilities of the port, positioning Maputo as a trade and logistics hub for Southern Africa and opening a gateway for larger container ships."

The terminal yard and quay will undergo a complete revamp and modernisation. Yard capacity will increase by 6.48 hectares, doubling throughput from 255,000 TEU to 530,000 TEU, while the total quay length will be extended to 650 metres and the berth deepened to 16 metres.

To manage larger container volumes and a diverse range of commodities, new equipment will be introduced, including three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes capable of handling post-Panamax ships and an expanded fleet of rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, complementing the existing mobile harbour crane (MHC) fleet.

Reefer container capacity will increase to over 700 plugs, supporting the growth of agricultural exports.

Automated gate facilities using optical character recognition technology will be installed to streamline container number, condition and client identification processes, cutting transaction times and minimising liabilities.

In addition, the terminal operation system (TOS) will be enhanced, a vehicle booking system (VBS) will be implemented, and the port’s client community system (CCS) will be digitised for better connectivity with shipping lines, customs, and banks.