The Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) has announced the volume of cargo handled in 2024, reporting a total volume of 30.9 million tons handled. Although this represents a slight reduction of 1% compared to 2023, the Port of Maputo has continued to show resilience and adaptability in the face of significant logistical challenges.

MPDC's direct operations showed robust growth, handling 14.2 million tons, which represents an increase of 14% over the previous year. Road volumes saw significant growth, with an increase of 11% year-on-year, from 9.5 million tons to 10.7 million tons. Rail volumes, which have been a critical focus for MPDC's sustainability strategy, grew by 7%, from 2.8 million tons to 3.019 million tons. These figures underline MPDC's ability to maintain a balanced distribution of transport modes, even despite logistical constraints.

The decrease in total volumes (all Port of Maputo and Port of Matola port terminals) was mainly due to the post-election protests and road blockades in the Maputo corridor, including the closure of the border for several days and the conditioning of border and road operations for over a month. The rail corridor between South Africa and Mozambique was also affected by the protests and blockades, along with a derailment in October/November, which led to the closure of the line for a month.

"The Port of Maputo faced a challenging last quarter of the year, but the resilience of our team, together with our continued focus on diversification and efficiency, allowed us to maintain a strong operational performance overall. The growth in our direct operations and transportation volumes is a testament to this effort," said Osório Lucas, MPDC's CEO.

An important highlight of 2024 was the increase in revenues resulting for the state from concession fees paid to the Government of Mozambique, which increased by 12% to US$ 46.8 million, compared to US$ 41.7 million in 2023. This reflects MPDC's unwavering commitment to contributing to Mozambique's economic development.

MPDC's contribution excludes additional revenue for the state, namely tax on profits and dividends to its shareholder, Caminhos-de-Ferro de Moçambique (CFM).

Looking ahead, 2025 will see the start of major expansion projects at the Port of Maputo, including the long-awaited expansion of the container terminal and the coal terminal, both scheduled to begin in the first half of the year. These projects are two of the main pillars of the concession extension granted at the beginning of 2024 and represent a strategic investment in the future growth of the port, ensuring that it continues to be a key driver of trade and logistics in the region.