Mozambique–Zimbabwe pipeline expansion to strengthen Southern Africa’s fuel supply corridor

Last Updated 2 hours ago by Kenya Engineer

The CPMZ expansion will increase annual fuel transport capacity by 67 per cent, adding approximately two billion litres to a critical route serving Zimbabwe and wider regional markets.

Mozambique and Zimbabwe have launched a major expansion of the Beira–Harare fuel corridor, a project expected to increase the capacity of the Companhia do Pipeline Moçambique-Zimbabwe (CPMZ) pipeline by 67 per cent and strengthen the movement of refined petroleum products into Southern Africa’s interior.

The expansion, launched by Mozambican President Daniel Chapo and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Nhamatanda, Sofala Province, will raise the pipeline’s annual transport capacity from 3 million to 5 million cubic metres by the end of 2027.

That represents approximately two billion additional litres of fuel each year, providing greater capacity for the movement of diesel, petrol and jet fuel from the Port of Beira to Zimbabwe and other regional markets.

The development comes as landlocked Southern African economies continue to depend on coastal ports and cross-border transport corridors for access to essential energy supplies.

Expanding a critical regional connection

The 294-kilometre CPMZ pipeline runs from the Port of Beira to Feruka in Zimbabwe. It forms part of the wider Beira Corridor, a strategic trade route linking Mozambique’s Indian Ocean coast with Zimbabwe and other inland economies.

The expansion will involve the construction of new pumping stations at Nhamatanda and Messica in Manica Province. The project is being coordinated with the planned expansion of the Petrozim Line between Feruka and Harare, creating a higher-capacity route from the Mozambican coast into Zimbabwe’s interior.

According to CPMZ, construction and commissioning will be carried out without interrupting normal pipeline operations or fuel supplies to markets served by the corridor.

“This project adds substantial capacity to one of the region’s most important fuel routes without disrupting the supplies on which countries and businesses rely every day,” said António Laice, Chairman of the CPMZ Board of Directors.

“It is an investment not only in pipeline infrastructure, but in regional trade, industrial activity and the long-term reliability of Southern Africa’s fuel supply network.”

The project builds on a previous CPMZ expansion completed in 2024, which increased annual pipeline capacity from 2 million to 3 million cubic metres.

Beyond Zimbabwe

Although Zimbabwe remains the principal inland market served by the corridor, the expanded route is expected to support access to fuel in wider regional markets, including Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For Mozambique, the project reinforces the country’s role as a logistics and energy gateway for landlocked neighbours. For Zimbabwe, it strengthens an established supply route and supports the country’s position as a distribution hub for fuel moving further into the region.

President Chapo described the expansion as an investment in infrastructure, regional connectivity and energy security.

“By strengthening the connection between the Port of Beira and the Southern African hinterland, we are reinforcing Mozambique’s role as a strategic gateway for regional trade while deepening our cooperation with Zimbabwe,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the stronger corridor would support Zimbabwe’s energy security while creating greater capacity to serve markets beyond its borders.

Planning for longer-term demand

The current expansion is also part of a longer-term strategy to prepare the corridor for rising regional fuel demand.

Preliminary studies are assessing the possible replacement of the existing pipeline with a larger-diameter line. According to CPMZ, such a development could increase annual capacity to approximately 12 million cubic metres and support projected demand through to 2050.

A possible extension of the Harare–Lusaka route into Zambia’s Copperbelt is also being evaluated.

If pursued, these longer-term developments could further integrate coastal and inland fuel infrastructure, improving the movement of essential energy products across Southern Africa.

Infrastructure, reliability and regional resilience

CPMZ has operated the Beira–Feruka pipeline since 1982. The company says the pipeline operates continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is supported by a technical workforce composed entirely of Mozambican professionals.

Its operations use real-time supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) monitoring, alongside safety, environmental and risk-prevention standards.

The expansion illustrates the importance of pipeline infrastructure in regional energy security. While fuel supply depends on factors beyond transport capacity—including imports, refining, storage and distribution—the ability to move larger volumes reliably from coastal entry points to inland markets remains a critical part of the supply chain.

For Southern Africa, the Beira–Harare corridor is more than a fuel pipeline. It is a strategic infrastructure connection linking ports, national economies and regional markets.