Mozambique: Rail passenger numbers increased by 25% to 6.6 million in 2023

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Mozambique: Rail passenger numbers increased by 25% to 6.6 million in 2023

6:07 CAT | 29 Jul 2024

File photo: Lusa

Rail transport increased by 25% in 2023 to more than 6.6 million passengers, but below the target set by the state-owned company.

The 2023 CFM report and accounts consulted today by Lusa indicate that 6,629,344 passengers were transported throughout last year, “which corresponds to a 93% achievement” of the initial plan, “a growth of 25% when compared to the same period”.

“This is the result of the full operation of the railcars that were inaugurated in August 2022, increasing the passenger transport capacity in the south and centre of the country,” reads the document, which on the other hand admits constraints in rail traffic due, in particular, to the passage of Cyclone Freddy in March 2023, in the central region of the country.

The first months of the year, the company states, saw several railway incidents, namely derailments.

The administration said that the social component “has been one of the essential attributes” of CFM and the basis “of the relevance in promoting a public rail passenger transport service, with safety and quality”, which “will continue to have due prominence in guaranteeing the continuity of urban, peri-urban and long-distance rail passenger transport”.

“Guaranteed with an increase in new means, with the investment of 90 carriages, including five railcars, from India,” adds the document.

It also states that the port area operated by CFM “recorded an execution level of 95% of the plan and an increase of 12% compared to the previous period”, handling 63.37 million metric tons (mtm), compared to 56.45 mtm in 2022.

“Despite the negative factors” in the operation of the rail-port system, in 2023 26.58 million tons were transported, compared to 33.65 million tons planned, “an execution of 79% and an increase of 8% compared to the same period in 2022”.

CFM currently operates the Ressano Garcia, Limpopo and Goba railway lines, the Beira Railway System, which includes the Sena, Machipanda and Marromeu lines, the section common to the three lines of the southern network and the Maputo shunting area, the general workshops of the south and centre and the Matola Aluminium Terminal.

It also operates the fuel terminals in all Mozambican ports, the cereal and coal terminals in the port of Maputo, and the ports of Quelimane, Nacala and Pemba.

Source: Lusa