• Throughput rose 3.4% in 2025 on infrastructure upgrades
• Bulk cargo and rail volumes posted strong year-on-year growth
• Major investments are underway to expand capacity and regional corridors

The port of Maputo handled a total of 32 million tons of cargo in 2025, up 3.4% from 30.9 million tons a year earlier, as ongoing infrastructure upgrades continued to boost efficiency and competitiveness, according to port authorities.

Bulk cargo volumes reached 15.2 million tons, a 6.4% increase compared with 2024. Rail freight traffic also grew sharply, rising 17% year on year from 9.7 million tons to 11.7 million tons in 2025.

Over the past few years, Maputo has steadily strengthened its position as a regional logistics hub, benefiting from operational challenges at South African ports. The port has been handling a share of South Africa’s mineral exports and serving as a key transit point for landlocked neighboring countries, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia.

To keep pace with rising demand, Dubai-based terminal operator DP World announced in May 2025 a $165 million investment to expand Maputo’s container terminal, doubling capacity from 255,000 to 530,000 TEUs. Additional projects outlined by the port authority are expected to lift total planned investment to around $500 million.

These upgrades are designed to complement broader government-backed logistics initiatives aimed at building an integrated transport corridor. The plans include modernizing the remaining section of the Ressano Garcia rail line, a strategic route for trade with South Africa, as well as advancing the Nacala Corridor, a nearly $7 billion project supported by Japan, the African Development Bank, and other partners.

Still, Maputo’s current momentum could face stiffer competition as South African ports recover on the back of heavy public and private investment, and as Namibia’s port of Walvis Bay continues to expand its capacity.

Henoc Dossa