The Council of Ministers authorized yesterday, the construction of a new port terminal in the south of the country that will drain heavy sands from Chibuto, in Gaza, exploited by the Chinese company Ding Sheng.

According to a note from the Council of Ministers, ?it was authorized the direct award to a company between the Chinese firm Desheng Port and Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) to build and operate under concession the port terminal to be located in the district of Chongoene, Gaza province?

Thus, the Mozambican government assumes the role of "port grantor" in the process.

Construction of the Chonguene port was announced in August 2022, funded by the Chinese company Ding Sheng Minerals, which has been mining the heavy sands of Chibuto, a neighboring district, since 2018.

The Ding Sheng mining company has a 25-year term, and during this period it is expected to extract one million tons of ilmenite (titanium and iron oxide) and heavy sands annually.