Maputo, 3 Apr (AIM) – Mozambique’s publicly owned Ports and Rail Company (CFM) has recorded losses of 25.5 million US dollars caused by the passage of cyclone Freddy.
“The preliminary data indicate that, with the paralysis of the lines, the company had an accumulated loss, in infrastructures and equipment, in the central rail system, of 2.4 million dollars and, in the southern system, of 6.1 million dollars”, according to CFM chairperson Agostinho Langa, speaking at a meeting in the northern city of Nampula.
The costs of lost business were much higher. According to Langa, “for not transporting cargoes in railways and ports, we had a total loss of 17 million US dollars.”
These losses, he added, were obviously not foreseen in the company’s plans.
“We will have to make an additional financial effort, and for this, human capital plays a preponderant role, not only in the replacement of the damaged equipment, but also in ensuring the necessary regular maintenance, so that we reduce to zero the level of accidents and derailments, thereby gaining the confidence of customers”, Langa said.
As for operational efficiency, the CFM Chairman revealed that, in 2022, the degree of achievement was 70 percent of what was planned. That year was characterized by a return to normality after the Covid-19 pandemic, but also instability at all levels caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The economic and financial performance for 2022 was positive. The results, before taxes, were about 6.2 billion meticais, (97 million dollars at the current exchange rate), against 9.6 billion meticais budgeted. This was 64 per cent of what had been planned and a 29 per cent growth, compared to 2021”, Langa said
“At the terminals under CFM management, some 13.2 million metric tonnes were handled in 2022, representing 23 percent of the total handled in all the country’s ports, equivalent to a six per cent growth compared to the same period in 2021”, he stressed.
According to Langa, CFM is continuing to subsidise the cost of passenger ticket by 85 per cent.
“Ninety passenger carriages, including five railcars for the southern and central systems, were acquired and inaugurated in August last year. Our perspective is to continue to look at this area with special attention, contributing to the mitigation of the problem of the lack of urban and interurban transport”, he said.
(AIM)
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