Forbes Border post struggles under surging traffic

Congestion at Forbes Border Post has reached critical levels as surging trade along Zimbabwe's Beira Corridor overwhelms the ageing facility, Business Digest has reported.

Originally designed as a tourist crossing, Forbes Border Post now handles over 1,000 commercial trucks daily, volumes far exceeding its intended capacity. In some months, the post has even surpassed Beitbridge Border Post in truck clearances, highlighting its growing importance in Zimbabwe's export logistics.

Official statistics show that between January and June 2025, Forbes processed 88,660 outgoing commercial trucks, compared with 62,964 at Beitbridge during the same period.

Industry analysts say the surge reflects a structural shift in the country's trade patterns, with the Beira Corridor emerging as the preferred route for mineral and agricultural exports. Major exports through Forbes include chrome concentrates, ferrochrome, lithium, tobacco, and tea, while imports are dominated by refined petroleum, electricity, and fertilisers. An estimated 75% of exports processed at the post are destined for China, underlining Forbes' strategic role in Zimbabwe's global commodity supply chain.

"Traffic surges are still experienced mainly due to increased trade volumes following the upgrade of Beira Port, a good road network from Machipanda Frontier to Beira Port, inadequate border infrastructure, and human and capital resource constraints," the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) told Business Digest. The authority also cited the slow adoption of 24-hour operations by some clearing agents as a contributing factor.

Zimbabwe's 2025 Import & Export Trade Analysis Report by Buy Zimbabwe highlights the broader trade boom driving the congestion. Export earnings rose from US$6.06 billion in 2021 to US$9.71 billion in 2025, largely driven by semi-manufactures, nickel mattes, and tobacco. Imports grew from US$7.37 billion to US$10.11 billion over the same period, mainly energy products, diesel, petrol, LPG, electricity, and key food commodities.

Authorities are pursuing several mitigation measures. Plans are underway to expand Forbes' truck parking by 500 bays and to transition the post from pre-lodgement to full pre-clearance of customs documentation, ensuring imports are cleared and duties paid in advance. Zimra and Mozambique's Alfândega have agreed to implement a managed truck call-up system, allowing only trucks with completed customs formalities to access the bridge, while others enjoy express passage.

Other measures include gradually addressing human and capital resource gaps, improving Starlink connectivity to reduce process delays, and integrating truck release into the call-up system to minimise idle time.

"The One-Stop Border Post concept has not yet been implemented, as bilateral engagements are ongoing," Zimra said, noting that upgrades to the Munene River Bridge between Zimbabwe and Mozambique are expected to further improve traffic flow.

As trade volumes climb into the hundreds of millions of US dollars, congestion at Forbes underscores the tension between Zimbabwe's expanding export ambitions and the limitations of its ageing border infrastructure.