Zimbabwe drives container volumes at Port of Beira

Sifelani Tsiko

Innovations Editor

Zimbabwe’s firming trade environment continues to increase volumes of container shipping services at the General Cargo Terminal at Port of Beira in Mozambique.
Latest figures from Cornelder de Moçambique, the terminal operator of the Port of Beira, show that the port reached a historic milestone last July, with a record monthly volume of 442 000 tonnes handled, compared to 199 000 tonnes handled in July 2023, which is a 122 percent increase.

“This growth was driven by increased imports of clinker and maize for domestic needs, along with a significant rise in wheat, equipment, and sulphur imports for regional countries,” the operator said.

“The container terminal also saw strong growth, with a 40 percent increase in the first seven months of the year handling 226 000 containers, compared to 160 000 containers in the same period in 2023.

“Zimbabwe remains a key driver of exports through the Port of Beira, particularly on chromium, lithium, petalite, and tobacco.”

Volumes at the port were also driven by exports of Mozambican eucalyptus and Zambian manganese as well as Malawi’s significant growth in cotton and tea exports.

“Tobacco volumes are expected to rise in the coming months, thereby further strengthening the port’s position as a regional export hub,” the operator said.

“Zimbabwe continues to lead the export market through the Port of Beira. Overall, the General Cargo Terminal recorded a 24 percent increase in volume over the first seven months of the year, compared to the same period in 2023.”

The surge in imports highlights the strong demand for container shipping services to handle the increased volume of goods entering Zimbabwe.

It also points to steady demand for outbound shipping services.