Mozambique: Work on the Save bridge grinds to a halt yet again

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Mozambique: Work on the Save bridge grinds to a halt yet again

1:16 CAT | 04 Apr 2022

Photo: O País

The bridge over the Save river was built in 1962; a suspension bridge model with three central spans of 210 metres each and two side spans of 90 metres each.

The project was designed to replace the classic rigid beam of conventional suspension bridges with two prestressed cables, made up of inclined hangers and funicular cables, thus making the structure highly stable and rigid.

But 60 years later, lack of periodic maintenance has rendered the bridge unsafe for the transport of people and goods, so the government decided to carry out a more consistent intervention, not least because this is the only bridge that links the south and centre of Mozambique.

At the time, a project for the construction of a temporary bridge was prepared to assure the transit of people while the rehabilitation of the old bridge was carried out and a new one, more modern, safer and with lower maintenance costs, was constructed.

The project would cost the governments of Mozambique and China around US$98.3 million – approximately 5,867 million meticais.

It so happens that, in 2019, a year after it started, work was paralysed by the outbreak of Covid-19. On the one hand, many Chinese engineers on the project were stranded in their country of origin where they were on leave, and, on the other hand, there was no possibility of importing construction material from China, since everything was stopped.

In October of the same year, 2019, work resumed, but was again interrupted by the rainy season, during which the river almost always overflows.

This time, work has been paralysed since December last year, because, according to the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, the Mozambican government lacks the money to guarantee the execution of the work.

Carlos Mesquita told ‘O País’ that the government was aware of the facts, but, due to financial difficulties, was unable to adhere to the terms of the financial execution of the project, but guaranteed that work would continue, without any specific deadline.

The Save bridge works started in 2018 and were expected to have been finished last year, but, due to the stoppage, which has already led to the failure to meet deadlines, the initial budget will have to be readjusted.

Carlos Mesquita said that the fact that the contractor is on the ground with equipment and personnel entails unforeseen costs, which now need budget coverage.

While the new bridge remains incomplete, human and goods traffic is supported by the metal bridge, which can support vehicles of up to 45 tons.

The construction of the structure is in charge of the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), the Chinese company which built the Maputo-KaTembe bridge.

By Hugo Firmino

Source: O País