Road-to-rail plan to boost economy, decrease truck traffic
Upgrades to the railway line in Mozambique is aimed at increasing trade with South Africa and decreasing the number of trucks using the road through the Lebombo Border.
Transnet and Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), the government-owned railway company of Mozambique, are cooperating to increase the amount of cargo on the railway line that crosses the Lebombo Border. “A dry port at Ressano Garcia Border Post is under construction and near completion,” said CFM spokesperson, Adelio Dias.
“The dry port is intended to tranship coal, magnetite and other minerals from road trucks to rail.” The Mozambican company undertook this project with the view to decongest the EN4 leading in and out of Mozambique through the Lebombo Border Post.
“The aim is further to maximise the utilisation of the railway line,” Dias said. No new lines are currently under construction in Mozambique. The existing Ressano Garcia line, which will see significant upgrades, was constructed in 1895 and is still in use. “In the Ressano Garcia line, we have doubled the line from Maputo up to Matola Gare Station. There is a single line from Matola Gare Station up to the Ressano Garcia Station,” Dias added.
“There is a project in the pipeline to double the line from Matola Gare Station up to Moamba Station.” The Ressano Garcia line is 88km long. According to Dias, the railway line on the Mozambican side of the border enjoyed upgrades and rehabilitation to the amount of around US$20 million, which included upgrades to the rail bridges and improvement of signalling and telecommunications.
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As part of Transnet’s road-to-rail strategy, set out in 2012, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) seeks to move at least 2% of rail-friendly freight from road to rail annually, thus reducing the cost of doing business in South Africa. “TFR is also cognisant of the fact that a regionally linked rail network is key to the economic growth of the continent,” said Transnet spokesperson, Jane Moshoeshoe.
Moshoeshoe ensured that the railway on the South African side is in an adequate state to handle the increased load. “The railway infrastructure on the South African side of the Lebombo Border is in a usable condition and is operational,” she said. “There has been a significant growth in volumes going to Maputo on this corridor.”
