Mozambique

 

Maputo Port Information  

Mozambique Port Depth at Berth
MPDC Port Operating Guidelines (POG)

Maputo Port Information

  • Entrance channel width: 120.0 m
  • Depth of Channel: 14.20 m + Tide
  • Tide Variance: 06 – 3.90 m
  • Density of Water: 1.018 – 1.025
  • Max Loa Permissible: 330.0 m
  • Draft less than 10m: No restriction
  • Max Draft: 5 to 12.80 m, being exceptionally Coal Terminal 15.20m
  • Draft between 10 to 12.50 m: Tide bound
  • Draft between 12.50 -12.80 m: at Port’s discretion / advance confirmation from Harbor Master
  • Max Beam: 5 to 38m however Not Applicable if using ship’s cranes
  • Max air draft permissible: 62.5m depending if neap or spring tides
  • Max air draft at berth nr 5 (just under the bridge): 61.0m depending if neap or spring tides
  • Virtual buoys in use: 8 virtual buoys along the entire channel, detected by vessel’s AIS
  • Channel and berth’s dredging period: every 3 years
  • Port Limit: Buoy No.12P / Pilot Boarding Ground / Notice of Readiness customary venue;
  • Pilotage versus Weather: Cease if winds over 30 knots, at Harbor Master’s discretion
  • Security Level: Fully ISPS compliant / MARSEC Level 1/ UNLOCODE: MZMP-002
  • All berths dredged up to the designed maintaining the min of 12.00 plus tide, except berth nr 3 & 4 at 9.00m and TCM/Matola Coal Terminal the deepest with 15.4m.
  • Port Shore Mobile cranes capacity: 1 x 60T SWL and 2 x 144T SWL
  • Shore Mobile cranes operate exclusively at berth nr 9 and priority use for gearless vessels.

General weather Patterns:

  • Maputo receives rain all year round however it intensifies during the summer months (November to February) when cyclones are also known to migrate down the Mozambique channel.
  • During the winter months, cold fronts are experienced every so often and these spells are usually coupled with spells of rain.
  • The windy months are between August to Oct where strong to gale winds often apparent.    
  • Presently the weather patterns have been disrupted due to intense drought and little rains are being received and can be expected to continue at follow months.

Port’s working hours:

  • Weekday & Weekends 2 x 12 Hours shifts (06h00-18h00 /18h00-06h00)
  • Port usually closed on Christmas & New Year’s Day however, at terminal’s discretion operations may be continued.

Mozal Terminal

  • Length: 235.0 m
  • Beam: 38.0 m
  • Max Depth: 12.0 m
  • Air Draft: 15.7 m
  • Berthing delays normally not exceeding 3 to 4 days

TCM / Matola Coal Terminal

  • Located about 15NM from MPDC Terminal (main Port).
  • Length: 220m
  • Air draft: 14.00m
  • Max permissible LOA: 300 m
  • Max Beam permissible 38.00m and can increase to 43.0m at Terminal’s discretion
  • Max draft up to 15.20m at Harbor Master’s approval in advance.

BEIRA PORT INFORMATION:

  • The port has 12 quays.
  • The approach channel depths are liable to change
  • TRAFFIC FIGURES: Approximately 4.000.000t of cargo handled annually
  • MAX SIZE OF THE CHANNEL: LOA 200m, 60.000swdt (part loaded)
  • Depth Quay Nr. 12, Beira Oil Terminal: CD -13.0 meter. Vessels will always berth starboard side alongside the jetty. Swinging basin CD-5.5 meter.
  • Depth Quay Nr. 10 to Nr. 6, General Cargo quays and Coal Terminal: CD -10.0 m.
  • Depth Quay Nr. 5 to Nr. 2, Container Terminal: CD -12.5 m.
  • Available berthing and manoeuvring space

Ship’s draft limitation alongside the General berths:

  • The CD at the Container Berths Nr. 02 to Nr. 05 is 12.00 m (twelve meters),
  • General Cargo Berths Nr. 06 to Nr. 11, CD is 9 m (nine meters),
  • At the Oil Jetty (berth Nr. 12) the CD is 13.50 m (thirteen and half meters),
  • The Under-Keel Clearance required alongside berth is 0.90 m,
  • The heights of the horizontal face of the berths above CD vary from a minimum of 8.29 meters to a maximum of 8.79meters.

NACALA PORT INFORMATION:

  • Maximum permissible LOA/BEAM: 200m/34m at General and container berths
  • Maximum permissible LOA/BEAM: 330m/45m at Coal Terminal (Nacala-A-Velha Terminal)
  • Number of Tugs used: 2 compulsories up to Panamax size and 3 compulsories to Cape Size vessels.
  • Terminal working Time: The Terminal works 24 hours/day on 3 shifts, 0700 to 14:30 and 1500 to 2230 and 2300 to 0630 hours. The 30 minutes break is for change of shifts.
  • Water density: Usually 1,025 but can reduce slightly during the rainy season which goes from November/December to March/April.
  • Kind of fenders: Rubber fenders in good conditions

Berthing and sailing time:

No berthing restrictions due to the deeper depths of its waters with exceptional conditions of navigability, allowing entry and departure of ships of any draft size, 24 hours a day. It is a large and sheltered bay of 60m deep and 800m wide channel.

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