Mozambique’s Port of Maputo registered a 20-percent increase in cargo handled in 2022 compared to the previous year, seeing a record 26.7 million tonnes of cargo handled in a single year for the first time.The port had handled 22.2-million tonnes of cargo in 2021. 

According to Maputo Port Development Company chief executive Osório Lucas, the increase in cargo was the result of infrastructure rehabilitation as well as the introduction of 24-hour operations at the border between Mozambique and South Africa.

“The port has definitely been reaping the fruits of the major infrastructure developments performed in the last four years,” Lucas said on Tuesday.

The infrastructure developments included the rehabilitation of berths at the port, which saw the newly widened and deepened berths commence operations in May 2021.

“The decision of the government of Mozambique to establish a 24-hour border operation has also positively impacted the whole Maputo Corridor.” 

Other contributing factors included investment by the port in systems such as system integration with the customs department that contributed to an improvement in efficiencies.

The investment and implementation of automation solutions within the port continued throughout 2022 and are expected to result in an even bigger growth in cargo volume this year, Lucas said.