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Maputo Port weathers protests storm to post strong 2024 results

Post-election unrest reduced cargo volumes at Maputo and Matola ports in 2024, but MPDC reported increased government fees, and plans for terminal expansions

Post-election unrest caused the volume of cargo handled at the ports of Maputo and Matola to drop slightly in 2024, but only by 1% versus 2023, the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) announced today.

MPDC’s own operations grew 14% on the previous year, with road volumes growing 11% year on year from 9.5 million tonnes to 10.7 million tonnes, and rail volumes up 7%, from 2.8 million tonnes to 3.019 million tonnes.

The slight decrease in total volumes across all terminals at the Port of Maputo and the Port of Matola was primarily due to the post-electoral protests and road blockages in the Maputo corridor, MPDC said, including closure of the border post at Ressano Garcia for several days, and disrupted border and road operations for more than a month all together.

The rail corridor from South Africa to Mozambique was also affected by the protests and blockages, and suffered a derailment which led to a month-long shutdown in October and November.

Increased revenues led MPDC to pay greater concessions fees of $46.8m to the Mozambican government, up 12% from 2023. The company pays fixed fees which amount to around $8.6m per year, and variable fees which are 15% of the company’s gross revenue, plus the 32% corporation tax on profits. The state-owned ports and railways company, CFM, also receives dividends in line with its 49% shareholding in the company.

MPDC is planning to expand both its container terminal and its coal terminal in Maputo, starting in the first half of this year, as per the extension of its concession which was granted by the government at the beginning of 2024.

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