Damco has operated in Mozambique for the past eighteen months from the existing office in Beira, supporting the land-locked countries of Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
Beira is serviced mainly through feeder vessels via Durban (draft restrictions prevents larger vessels from calling at Beira), and this generally implies longer transit times.
According to Mozambique country manager Christian Roeder, the company made a conscious decision to improve on this, ensuring that customers can both source and export directly through Maputo.
"This increases the options, especially for mining companies by offering inland transport solutions and stuffing services in Maputo. The port has recently experienced an increasing number of shipping lines offering direct calls from the Far East, making it a great time for this expansion," said Roeder.
Damco can now offer the Maputo corridor - which serves parts of South Africa, such as the Mpumalanga, Gauteng (Johannesburg), and Limpopo provinces, giving direct access to one of the most highly industrialised regions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Maputo is also a cost-effective alternative to Durban and Beira for parts of the land-locked countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Swaziland, and Damco aims to become the preferred logistics provider to customers in the region, specialising in inland solutions and then expanding into other areas.
Damco has great expectations for this corridor, and expects volumes through Mozambique to grow by 20% next year.
