Cargo handled by the Port of Maputo, in which Grindrod holds an indirect 24.7% stake, slumped by 1% to 30.9 million tonnes in 2024.
However, the direct operations under the Maputo Port Development Company grew by 14% to 14.2 million tonnes in 2024 compared to a year earlier.
“Road volumes saw a significant growth, increasing by 11% year-on-year, rising 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,” said the operator of the Maputo Port.
It said that the 1% decrease in total volumes – encompassing all terminals from the Port of Maputo and the Port of Matola - was primarily due to the post-electoral protests and road blockages in the Maputo corrido. This included the border closure for several days.
"The Port of Maputo faced a challenging last quarter of the year, but our team’s resilience, coupled with our continued focus on diversification and efficiency, enabled us to maintain strong operational performance overall. The growth in our direct operations and transport volumes is a testament to this effort," said Osório Lucas, CEO of MPDC.
Despite the slight decrease in overall volumes, MPDC raised concession fees paid to the government of Mozambique by 12% to $46.8 million, compared to $41.7 million in 2023, reflecting the port operator’s “commitment to contributing to Mozambique’s economic” development.
BUSINESS REPORT