Mozambique-Zimbabwe pipeline capacity to rise 67% by 2027

The capacity of the Beira-Harare fuel corridor is expected to rise by 67 percent by the end of 2027 as Mozambique and Zimbabwe expand infrastructure along the route.

Companhia do Pipeline Mozambique-Zimbabwe (CPMZ) will begin construction of two pumping stations in Nhamatanda, Sofala Province, and Messica, Manica Province, as part of the second phase of its pipeline expansion.

The project, which will be marked by a groundbreaking ceremony on September 2, will increase the annual transport capacity of the Beira-Feruka pipeline from three million cubic metres to five million cubic metres.

The expansion is aimed at supporting growing demand for petrol, diesel and jet fuel in Zimbabwe and other landlocked markets that rely on the Beira Corridor for fuel supplies.

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The Beira-Feruka pipeline, which stretches 294 kilometres from the Port of Beira to Feruka in Zimbabwe, forms part of a wider fuel transportation network linking Mozambique to Zimbabwe and other markets in Southern Africa.

In a note, CPMZ said the expansion is being coordinated with the upgrade of the Petrozim Line between Feruka and Harare, which will increase the capacity of the fuel corridor from the Mozambican port into Zimbabwe’s interior.

The route also serves landlocked countries including Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making the corridor an important part of regional fuel supply.

The latest expansion follows CPMZ’s increase in pipeline capacity from two million cubic metres to three million cubic metres annually in 2024.

According to the company, construction and commissioning of the new pumping stations will be carried out while existing pipeline operations continue, meaning fuel supplies through the corridor are not expected to be disrupted.

CPMZ and the Zimbabwean government are also considering longer-term expansion of the corridor, including studies for a larger-diameter pipeline that could transport higher volumes of fuel to meet projected regional demand through 2050.

Plans are also being considered for a possible extension of the Harare-Lusaka route into Zambia’s Copperbelt, potentially further expanding the corridor’s reach into Southern Africa’s interior.

The investments come as countries in the Southern African Development Community seek to strengthen fuel supply infrastructure and reduce vulnerabilities associated with supplying landlocked markets.

CPMZ was established in 1982 and is jointly owned by the Mozambican state and private investors. The company operates the Beira-Feruka pipeline, which transports petroleum products from the Port of Beira to Zimbabwe.