Mozambique Logistics: Zimbabwe chromium and iron exported through Maputo and Beira ports

A million tonnes of chromium and iron ingots from Zimbabwe will be transported annually through the ports of Maputo and Beira along the Limpopo and Machipanda railroads, under a three-way agreement signed recently, the Mozambican press reported.

The agreement, valid from 1 November until December 2018, was signed by Mozambican state port and railway company CFM, its Zimbabwean counterpart, National Railways of Zimbabwe and the mining company Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco).

The Limpopo railroad is the largest in southern Mozambique and is 522 kilometres long and has 12 stations and 19 secondary stops.

For its part, the Machipanda line is 317 kilometres long and was was handed over as a concession between 2004 and 2010, together with the 454 kilometres of the Siena line, to the now defunct Companhia de Caminhos de Ferro da Beira (CCFB), a company whose shareholders were Rites Limited, which held 26% of the shares, Ircon International Limited, with 25% and CFM with the remaining 49%.

The Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco), which is currently in receivership due to high liabilities, is one of the largest producers of ferro-chrome in the country. (macauhub)