The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Mozambique’s publicly-owned ports and rail company (CFM), Miguel Matabele, on Saturday announced the introduction of an express train to South Africa and Eswatini.
The Mozambican Prime Minister, Adriano Maleiane, welcomed the initiative since the project will contribute to solving the transport problems in the country. He praised CFM for its “very strong contribution”.
This step came following an agreement signed on 1 July between CFM and South Africa’s Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) for the elimination of the rail border and with Eswatini Railways on 5 August an agreement for direct rail links for the transport of goods.
In light of the agreement, the trains operated by CFM and the South African company TFR will now cross the border at Ressano Garcia without restrictions or the need to change rolling stock allowing the free circulation of goods trains between the two countries.
As an immediate impact of the agreement, the Goba railway will double the number of daily coal trains, from two to four. The volume of coal transported will also increase proportionately, from 3,600 tonnes to 7,200 tonnes per day.
