The entry into operation next March of the Ressano Garcia Mineral Terminal in Maputo’s Moamba district is expected to reduce by half the number of trucks travelling along National Highway Number Four (EN4), reducing congestion and pressure on the highway.
The guarantee was given yesterday by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Abdulai Janfar, after visiting the works on this infrastructure, with capacity to handle 250,000 tons of chromium iron per month, coming from South Africa.
The transit terminal is expected to receive about 60 trucks per day and 1,500 monthly. It is also prepared to handle trains of up to 60 wagons, totalling 3,000 tonnes, on average 17 trains a month.
The result of a partnership between the Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) and The Logistics Group (TLG), the Ressano Garcia Mineral Terminal will take half of the 500 trucks that daily cross the border to the Port of Maputo off the EN4.
“Every day around 500 trucks carrying chromium iron circulate on the EN4 and with the entry into operation of the transit terminal, this road could become more free of congestion, as half of the trucks will leave the cargo at Ressano, from where it will be drained by rail to Maputo port,” the minister said.
Abdulai Janfar also said that the partnership between CFM and TLG would provide an alternative logistical transit solution for the movement of minerals from South Africa to the Port of Maputo (MPDC).
He added that other benefits of implementing this project would be an increase in the volume of cargo for CFM and consequent growth in revenues, as well as improvements to existing rail lines and infrastructure at Ressano Garcia Station and employment opportunities for the local community.
Information from the company Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique indicates that it is still premature to advance the investments that are being made for the refurbishment of the infrastructure, once small changes are being made to the initial project, but the final value will be known when the works are completed.
The logistics director for TLG – Mozambique, Florbela Francoso, said that work underway was expected to last until mid-February and that the infrastructure would be operational as of March of this year.
She also said that this would be a transit terminal and not a storage terminal, with a 24-hour security system, with cameras and guards, three weighbridges, two on entry and one on exit, with Customs, Migration, Health and Police services.
“The terminal will work in coordination with the Port of Maputo to confirm the availability of unloading spaces, to ensure that the ore is transferred within 72 hours after unloading at Ressano Garcia,” Francoso said.
He added that the option of handling only chromium iron was due to the fact that the existing work contracts were only with importers of this ore and the environmental study made for this area was specific to this product.
