Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe agreed to establish a railway freight transport corridor to provide connection between Francistown (Botswana) to the Port of Techobanine (Mozambique), via Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). The railway will improve regional freight transport in the south of Africa, will boost regional integration and cooperation and will implicate the private sector in investments.
In 2010, Mozambique and Botswana announced the development of the corridor which involved the modernisation of existing lines and the construction of other necessary sections with a total length of 1,100 km. Zimbabwe joined the project as well and the three ministers signed a memorandum of understanding in September. In the MoU, the ministers agreed to establish a 1.500km corridor for which each state will supply USD 200 million totalling USD 600 million. For this project, the developer will have to finance the construction of facilities of a port in Techobanine, south of Maputo, in Mozambique.
The railway project of the port of Techobanine stipulates the development of a corridor of around 2,000 km to connect the two landlocked countries, Zimbabwe and Botswana, to the port facilities in Mozambique. 1,500 km of the total corridor will be in Zimbabwe and 100 km in Botswana and Mozambique.
The project will facilitate investments in the mining industry, transport and production in the regions directly crossed by the railway, as well as adjacent regions. “This project is more than just a tripartite arrangement, it is a long term one and its benefits will evolve from being regional to being international. I say this because when completed and operational the deep sea port will handle cargo destined for countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas,” Zimbabwe Minister of Transport, Joram Gumbo said.
“Port Techobanine” railway project will provide for Botswana an alternative route to Trans Kalahari Railway proposed project which, when completed, will offer access to Namibia’s port facilities for coal exporters. Trans-Kalahari Railway consists of the construction of 1,500 km of railway for coal transport and will provide transport links to Namibia’s port facilities, but it remains unclear whether Botswana authorities’ commitment to Port Techobanine Heavy Haul Rail Project will impact on the state’s plans for Kalahari line.
At the moment, Zimbabwe facilitates oil transport through its own territory from Mozambique to Botswana, and the project development will increase transport volumes, as required by Botswana, but without capacity limits. The new railway will help increase freight volumes to over 12 million tonnes a year, through the three countries.
The feasibility project for Techobanine Heavy Haul Rail will involve all the three countries, as well as the private sector.
It should be mentioned that a pilot project with a train of 34 wagons and 1,600 tonnes was carried out in 2013. The train ran from Maputo Port (Mozambique) covering a distance of 1,300 km in three days, crossing Francistown (Botswana) and Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). Next to four partners (African Energy Resources, Morupule Coal Mine in Botswana, Vitol Coal South Africa and Grindrod Mozambique), the railway operators in the three countries also participated in the project. The parties involved agreed that the project is feasible.
by Pamela Luica
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