Mozambique is set to expand the capacity of a key fuel pipeline serving Southern Africa, with new pumping stations expected to increase annual throughput by 67% and strengthen supplies to landlocked regional markets.
Companhia do Pipeline Moçambique-Zimbabwe (CPMZ) Lda will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 2 in Nhamatanda, Sofala province, to mark the construction of new pumping stations in Nhamatanda and Messica in Manica province.
The expansion will raise the annual transport capacity of the Beira-Feruka pipeline to 5 million cubic metres from 3 million by the end of 2027, CPMZ said.
The higher capacity is expected to help meet rising demand for diesel, petrol and jet fuel in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, as well as other landlocked Southern African Development Community markets including Malawi, Zambia, Botswana and Democratic Republic of Congo.
The heads of state of Mozambique and Zimbabwe are expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, underscoring the strategic importance of the project to bilateral ties and regional energy security.
The expansion is being implemented alongside an upgrade of the Petrozim Line between Feruka and Harare, creating a higher-capacity fuel corridor linking the Port of Beira with markets in Southern Africa’s interior.
CPMZ said construction and commissioning of the new pumping stations would be carried out without interrupting pipeline operations or fuel supplies to regional markets.
The 294-km Beira-Feruka pipeline forms part of the Beira Corridor, a major trade route connecting the Mozambican port with Zimbabwe and the wider Southern African hinterland.
Strengthening regional fuel supplies
CPMZ and the Zimbabwean government are pursuing a long-term strategy to strengthen the Beira-Harare route as a major regional fuel supply corridor, with Harare serving as an important distribution hub.
The pipeline expansion comes as Southern African countries seek to improve the reliability of fuel supplies and reduce logistical constraints associated with serving landlocked markets.
CPMZ said longer-term plans include studies into replacing the existing pipeline with a larger-diameter line capable of meeting projected regional fuel demand through 2050.
A possible extension of the Harare-Lusaka corridor into Zambia’s Copperbelt is also being considered, potentially expanding the reach of the fuel network to one of the region’s key mining and industrial areas.
The company previously increased the pipeline’s annual capacity to 3 million cubic metres from 2 million in 2024.
The latest investment is intended to create a more resilient and integrated regional fuel supply network, CPMZ said, supporting trade, economic activity and energy security across the SADC region.
The project also strengthens the strategic role of the Port of Beira as an entry point for petroleum products destined for Southern Africa’s inland economies.
Discover more from Newsroom Kenya
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
