Mozambique Road Assessment Additional Information
Vehicle Registration Classification
Moçambique – Vehicle Registration Classification
Classification
Style
Old general
registration for
cars, trucks and
motorcycles
White lettering on a black background
1st alpha, M = Moçambique
2nd alpha, L = Lourenço Marques the old name
for Maputo
Old general
registration for
cars, trucks and
motorcycles
White lettering on a black background
1st alpha, M = Moçambique
2nd alpha, M = Maputo Province
‘Old,
New’general
registration for
cars, trucks and
motorcycles
When the previous registration system ran out of
combinations a new format was adopted, similar
to the South African system. The last two letters
indicate Cidade Maputo. However, this
sequence was only used from ‘AAA’ to AAF’
and then the CM was switched toMC = Maputo
City (see below)
New general
registration for
cars, trucks and
motorcycles
As above… The last two letters ‘MC’
indicate Maputo City
New general
registration for
cars, trucks and
motorcycles
As above... The last two letters ‘MP’
indicate Maputo Province
Moçambique
Police
White lettering on a green background. Policia
da Republica deMoçambique = PRM, however
it seems not all vehicles use this system as many
have general registration plates
Moçambique
Defence Forces
White lettering on a black background
1st alpha, F = Forces
2nd alpha, P = Popular
Example
Consular
First 2 alphas, CC = Corpo Consular
Vehicles
The digits, 232 = Indonesian Counsulate
The letter & digits, M01 = Maputo Province,
vehicle #1
Diplomatic and
UN
First 2 alphas, CD = Corpo Diplomatic
The digits, 158 = WFP
The letter & digits, M04 = Maputo Province,
vehicle #4
Trailers
Truck trailers have their own system, they have
only 2 alphas 1stalpha, M = Moçambique
2nd alpha, L = Location of registration, in this
case Maputo
Motorcycles
White lettering on a black background
First 3 alphas, CMB =
MotorCycle Moçambique Beira
Last two digits: 09 = Year of registration
Agricultural
Tractors
The key difference is the last digit is replaced by
the letter ‘T’
Road Contacts
Administração Nacional de Estradas – ANE
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ANE (Administração Nacional de Estradas) is an autonomous body responsible for the development
and maintenance of all classified roads in Moçambique
The ANE prepares the medium and short-term (annual) sector plans, including investment and
maintenance components, both at national and provincial levels
The design, supervision and execution of works are done by private sector consultants and
contractors under contracts procured and managed by ANE
Roads are classified as Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Local, there are also quite a lot of unclassified
district roads
The ANE have a good up-to-date website with maps of the national road network and a map for each
province
These maps show which roads are paved or unpaved and gives information on current and proposed
upgrades
Fundo de Estradas
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The FdE provides coordination between funding donors and contractors for road construction
inMoçambique
The FdE administers the funding from the GoM to a total of 43 Provincial, District and Municipal
entities
The FdE also conducts engineering aduits prior to and after road building contracts to ensure
construction quality standards
Moçambique Logistics Corridor Initiative – MLCI
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In July 1996 the governments of Moçambique and South Africa signed a framework
agreement for the development of the Maputo Corridor, which included an ancillary
agreement for the establishment of a toll road between the two countries
In May 1997, a concession was awarded to Trans Africa Concessions (TRAC) to build and
operate a toll road between Witbank in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa and Maputo in
Moçambique
In June 1998 construction of the toll road was officially launched at the Ressano Garcia
border post and in March 2000, the Moambo Toll Plaza opened in Moçambique at the South
African border and in 2001 the Maputo Toll Plaza was opened
This 590 km road links Johannesburg directly with the harbour ports of Maputo and Matola
In August 2004 weighbridges opened in Moçambique. This was designed not only to secure revenue collection
used for the ongoing maintenance of the road, but as well as making the road safer for all users by preventing
overloading
Road Classification
Moçambique Road Classification
Classification
Paved
Unpaved
Total
Primary Roads
4,728
1,243
5,971
Secondary Roads
838
4,078
4,915
Tertiary
667
11,936
12,603
Local
54
6,513
6,567
Totals
6,286
23,770
30,056
· Please note: The table above does not include urban roads and unclassified district
roads
Road Inventory
Classification
Administering Agency
Network Length
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Local Roads National Roads Authority 30,056
Unclassified District Roads
Local District Councils
N/A
Weighbridges
Moçambique – Key Weighbridges
· Maputo
· Port of Maputo for all loaded trucks leaving the port
· Moamba, 30 kms west of Maputo on the road to South Africa
· Matola Rio, 8 km from Maputo on the road to Swaziland
· Beira
· Dondo, 35 km from Beira which weighs all trucks that leaving the Port
· Inchope, 130 kms from Beira on the road to Zimbabwe
· Tete
· In the north-west on the road to Malawi
· Nampula
· In the north-east and weighs all trucks leaving the Port of Nacala
Axle Load Limits
Type
Mocambique
Truck – Articulated - 2 axles
25,000
Truck – Articulated - 3 axles
34,000
Truck – Articulated - 4 axles
42,000
Truck – Articulated - 5 axles
48,000
Truck – Articulated - 6 axles
56,000
Semi-trailer with 7 axles
56,000
Trailer (only) - 1 axles
8,000
Trailer (only) - 2 axles
16,000
Trailer (only) - 3 axles
24,000
Bridges
Moçambique is disected by a number of very large rivers, the biggest being the Zambezi River which
causes a number of logistical problems as there are few major bridges that cross these rivers
n the area to the north of Tete there are small bridges on the road to Malawi that are regularly
washed-out during the wet season in Novemeber and December, this causes delays until rivers
subside and by-passes are constructed
Tete Suspension Bridge
At 1 km-long, (photo below left) thre Tete Suspension bridge is a vital link on the major highway
linking not just northern and southern parts of the country, but Zambia and Malawi as well
The toll for trucks is US $23 and for light vehicles it is US $2.30 which is payable only for north-bound
traffic and delays can be lengthy (up to 4 days) due to lane restrictions due to bridge maintenance
Dona Ana Bridge
The (photo below right) spans the lower Zambezi River between the towns of Vila de Sena and
Mutarara in Moçambique, effectively linking the two halves of the country and is 3,670 m in length,
the longest railway bridge in Africa.
Constructed as a railway bridge in 1935 this bridge links Malawi and the Moatize coal fields to the
Port of Beira
In the 1980s, during the Moçambique Civil War, it was rendered unusable but reopened in 1995, it
was repaired and converted to a single-lane bridge for vehicle traffic, although not located on a
primary highway, it provided an alternative route over the Zambezi, however in 2006 the bridge was
reconverted back to its original use as a a rail only bridge
The Tete Suspension Bridge
The Dona Ana Bridge
Armando Emilio Guebuza Bridge
A new bridge crossing the lower Zambezi at Caia was opened in August 2009 by President Armando
Guebuza. The bridge is 2,376 m in length and has 2 traffic lanes and a pedestrian lane in each
direction. The toll for trucks is 800 MZN (US $23) and for cars the toll is 80 MZN (US $2.30)
The Armando Emilio Guebuza Bridge over the Zambezi at Caia
The Unity Bridge
The Unity Bridge (sometimes called ‘Unity Bridge 1’) across Ruvuma River at Negomano, between Tanzania
and Moçambique. Limited construction work was completed in the early 1980s, but the Unity Bridge was not
finished due to lack of funds, but in 2002 the two national governments agreed to build a new 720 m bridge
across the river. First foundation stones were laid both on Tanzanian and Moçambique sides on October 10th,
2005. The project would boost development in Mtwara Region (Tanzania), Cabo Delgado (Moçambique) as
well as in the Southern African Development Community region as it is an important component of the
Mtwara Development Corridor. It will also shorten the distance along the Cape to Cairo Road. The Unity Bridge
over the Rovuma River was finally inaugurated on the 12th of May 2010 by the presidents of Moçambique and
Tanzania
The Unity Bridge
Other Bridges: The Save River Bridge at the town of Save and the Limpopo River Bridge at Xai-Xai are
two other key bridges on the Moçambique road network
Transport Corridors
Road Transport – Southern Region
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Road transport is often the most cost efficient delivery mode in emergency, it can also be slow or
even impossible due to impaired infrastructure
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It is not always possible for long-haul heavy vehicles being able to access the final delivery site, but
it will be the smaller payload vehicles with multiple axle configuration that are required (4x4, 6x6 etc)
for deliveries from the intermediate storage site to the final delivery site
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The review of the Logistics Cluster participants road transport capacity in the Southern region shows
three important findings;
1. Most transport does not belong to the Logistics Cluster participants but is available on a hire basis
2. In the southern provinces there is a sufficient number of long-haul trucks available at short notice
(120 trucks with a combined uplift capacity of 8,000 mt), but only about 50 small trucks below the 10
mt capacity are currently used
3. Logistics Cluster participants currently hire transport from many of the same companies, which
creates competion for the same resources resulting in price increases. This therefore supports the
need for coordination in order to avoid this situation developing and to ensure that the most
pertinent emergency needs are first met
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One of the emergency preparedness needs is to therefore identify smaller payload trucks with
multiple axle configurations that can be positioned at the intermediate storage sites. There may be a
need to hire vehicles from other unaffected parts of the country if there are insufficient trucks in the
affected area(s). Likewise, Logistics Cluster participants need to identify in advance appropriate
transport for hire in the provinces where they work, to increase their own uplift capacity if required
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In order to facilitate planning and coordination for an emergency, Logistics Cluster participants need
to provide further information of the transport they have available that can be used in different
scenarios and locations. These transporter inventories could be shared with other organisations as
requested. The cluster lead can then also advise on the transporters currently in use by the cluster
participants
Road Transport – Central Region
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Many roads in the central region are not accessible by long-haul heavy vehicles especially during
the rainy season. Some road become submerged or bridges are swept away with heavy rain, such
as stretches of EN 6 near Dondo, and EN 1 in Namacurra
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The road from Beira to Caia through Gorongoza is new, well built and elevated with good drainage.
It is longer by about 200 km than the direct Beira-Caia road but remains the best option for deliveries
to Caia, which includes aviation fuel
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Local authorities are re-building the road between Chupanga and Marromeu. This road is often
flooded during the rainy season. Morrumbala – Mopeia raod was recently rebuilt with a drainage
system to limit the impact of floods
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A new bridge over the Zambezi River in Caia has been built. Small ferry services exist at river
crossings in Sussundenga and Mopeia districts, which will likely be interrupted when the water levels
increase
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The review of the Logistics Cluster participants road transport capacity shows that most of the
transport capacity is available on a hire basis, and that in Central provinces there are sufficient
numbers of long-haul trucks available at short notice to load from each central warehouse location
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A total of 250 long-haul trucks with a combined uplift capacity of 5,670 mt is currently used by
Logistics Cluster participants, and 55 trucks small trucks below 10 mt capacity with a total of 490 mt
capacity and those with multiple axle configurations are not yet sufficient, and cluster should
continue identifying them
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Coordination of transport use is again required to avoid competing over the same resources, and in
particular for the small trucks with multiple axle configurations
In order to prepare for emergency, Logistics Cluster participants need to provide further information
on available transport for different scenarios and locations. The cluster lead can advise on the
transporters currently in use by the cluster participants
International Corridors Leading to the Country
Moçambique Maputo – Swaziland border
Location Details
Town or city
Origin
Destination
Maputo
Namaacha
Latitude
S 25° 58’ 00.00”
S 26° 15’ 27.58”
Longitude
E 32° 33’ 12.72”
E 32° 05’ 05.00”
Total Distance
Usage & Transit
Wet & Dry Season
76 km
Jan – Mar
Apr – Jun
Jul – Sep
Oct – Nov
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours
– Driving time for trucks & trailers
· This is a paved road and in good condition throughout the year
Moçambique: Beira – Zimbabwe border
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Beira
Machipanda
Latitude
S 19° 49’ 08.08”
S 18° 59’ 32.80”
Longitude
E 34° 50’ 02.60”
E 32° 43’ 40.00”
Total Distance
Usage & Transit
Wet & Dry Season
292 km
Jan – Mar
Apr – Jun
Jul – Sep
Oct – Nov
5 hours
5 hours
5 hours
5 hours
– Driving time for trucks & trailers
· This is a paved road and in good condition and the route is not difficult for fully loaded trucks
· This route is also the primary route to Zambia, which passes through Zimbabwe
Moçambique: Beira to Malawi border
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Beira
Zobue (via Tete)
S 19° 49’ 08.08”
S 15° 34’ 42.26”
Latitude
Longitude
E 34° 50’ 02.60”
Total Distance
E 34° 28’ 40.84”
730 km
Usage & Transit
Wet & Dry Season
Jan – Mar
Apr – Jun
Jul – Sep
Oct – Nov
2 days
2 days
2 days
2 days
– Driving time for trucks & trailers
· A section of road 20 km west of Beira can get temporarily submerged during the rainy season
near Dondo
· From Chimoio to Tete the road was been reconstructed in 2008 and is now in good condition
· South of Tete the route is hilly in places and travelling times for trucks can be slow, particularly
the 70 km between Guro and Changara where the road is in very poor condition
· The bridge crossing the Zambezi at Tete has a US $23 toll for north-bound trucks, queues can
be as long as 4 days
· North of Tete there are many small bridges that can be impassable during the wet season in
Nov & Dec
· The final section to the border crossing at Zobue has many steep inclines and travel can be
slow
Main Corridors within the Country (leading to main towns / hubs)
Moçambique – Maputo (south) to Pemba (north)
From
To
Maputo
Xai-Xai
252
Tarmac, 2-wheel drive cars OK
Xai-Xai
Inchope
908
Europcar does not allow 2-wheel drive cars past Xai-Xai
Inchope
Caia
240
Recently upgraded and in excellent condition
Caia
Chimuara
3
Chimuara
Quelimane
205
Tarmac, 2-wheel drive cars OK
658
4WD required in the wet season
Quelimane Nampula
Distance Condition
Crossing the Armando Guebuza Bridge
Nampula
Pemba
420
Tarmac, 2-wheel drive cars OK
Pemba
Tanzania
285
The Unity Bridge has been built to link this road with
Tanzania
Main Corridor within Moçambique
· The Fundo de Estradas (Moçambique Roads Fund) coordinates the funding from the GoM and
donors and implements road construction and upgrading, the following roads are currently in the
planning phase for either construction or upgrading;
Moçambique – Planned Road Construction
From
To
Distance Completion
Comments
Date
Maputo
Ponta do
Ouro
100 km
2015
A concession is being planned which
includes the construction of a bridge
Maputo
Chicualacuala
300 km
2015
To be funded by Portugal, contracts
have been signed and construction
should begin late 2010/11
Chimoio
Espungabera
170 km
2015
To be funded by Portugal, contracts
have not been signed so unknown
when construction will begin
Mocuba
Milange
190 km
2014
To be funded by the EU, contracts
have
not
been
signed
but
construction is likely to start 2011
Nampula Cuamba
350 km
2015
To be funded by Japan, construction
should begin 2011
Cuamba
300 km
2015
To be funded by Japan, construction
should begin 2011
Murrupa Ruaça
100 Km
2014
Funded by Sweden
Ruaça
100 Km
2015
To be funded by Japan, construction
should begin 2011
Lichinga
Montepuez