Africa-Press – Kenya. President Filipe Nyusi said yesterday that the development of the port of Nacala, in northern Mozambique, would increase the facility’s flexibility and competitiveness.
“This port has the capacity to receive all types of ships and is being completely rebuilt to make it more flexible and competitive. The equipment we are seeing here is of the highest quality, which many ports do not have in southern Africa.” the Mozambican head of state said.
The port of Nacala is being upgraded with modern equipment, which will increase the capacity to berth ships, handle cargo, and reduce waiting times.
Filipe Nyusi was speaking during a visit to the port of Nacala in the company of his Malawian counterpart, Lazarus Chakwera, who yesterday began a working visit to Mozambique.
The rehabilitation of the Nacala deep water port is budgeted at around US$300 million (€260 million) and began in 2018, with completion scheduled for December of this year.
The modernization works will give the port a handling capacity of 250,000 containers, against the current capacity of 100,000.
Malawi is among the Southern African countries, without direct access to the sea, which use the Nacala port infrastructure. According to official figures, 16% of the approximately 20 million tons of products passing through Nacala port to inland countries every year are destined for Malawian territory.
“This port drives the economies of Mozambique and Malawi,” President Nyusi observed.
For the Malawian president, the port is of regional importance, and could act as a vehicle to strengthen the economic development of both nations.
“This port is critical for the economic development of the region,” President Lazarus Chakwera declared, applauding the fact that the port’s capacity was to increase.
In addition to visiting the port of Nacala, Lazarus Chakwera and Filipe Nyusi on Thursday launched the first phase of the Mozambique-Malawi Regional Integration project, inaugurating an electricity tower on the power line connecting the two countries.
President Chakwera’s visit to Mozambique lasts until Sunday, with the regional context always on the table, as Malawi currently chairs the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Malawi is also taking part in the SADC mission (SAMIM) supporting Mozambique in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado.
