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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Manicaland Bureau

Efforts by DP World Maputo Port to ramp up capacity to handle huge amounts of cargo will see increased trade volumes on the North-South Corridor, which will benefit Zimbabwe as the country expedites the opening of a dry port at Rutenga, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique, Douglas Nyikayaramba (pictured), has said.

Ambassador Nyikayaramba on Tuesday led a delegation from the Zimbabwean Embassy to the Maputo port, to appreciate DP World’s organisational capacity and future development plans in the context of synergies being developed in line with the Transport Master Plan.

“Zimbabwe based company; DEAT Capital is collaborating with a number of regional infrastructure and rail terminal firms to support development of an Intermodal Terminal inclusive of a customs dry port in the Rutenga/Mwenezi rail sidings on the North-South Corridor. After the visit, it was clear that DP World has the technical and operational capacity to handle huge amounts of cargo to and from Zimbabwe. The country stands to benefit from increased volume of trade on the North-South Corridor.

“The project would also enhance Zimbabwe’s position as the logistics hub for Southern Africa and act as a magnate for investment into the country,” he said.

The North-South Corridor is a multi-modal trans-continental inter connector, which is expected to ensure easy border crossing for both people and goods and increase the efficiency and capacity of the transport sector to speed up regional integration and increase trade.

Zimbabwe has designated Rutenga as a dry port to decongest Beitbridge Border Post and quicken human traffic and land cargo movement as part of efforts to meet Vision 2030 targets.

Rutenga is at the centre of a road and rail network linking Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique on the North-South Corridor.

Ambassador Nyikayaramba said the development of an intermodal terminal is a private sector-led project with support from the Government of Zimbabwe in line with its transport masterplan and the SADC transport masterplan on the North-South Corridor.

He said the private sector was playing a major role in sourcing financial support to improve trade relations and infrastructure development in Southern Africa.

“DP World as a private company in partnership with other strategic partners are working to mobilise feasibility support, project financing and technical assistance from network partners like AFDB, Afreximbank, Development Bank of South Africa, Public Investment Corporation, Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa and Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa in the North South Corridor,” said Ambassador Nyikayaramba.

DP World Maputo plays a major role in linking regional production, mining and commercial hubs to the markets of South East Asia.

The port, which is mostly focussed on origin and destination cargo, serves as the main shipping terminus for landlocked regions of Southern Africa, including Gauteng province in South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi.