Mutare Dry Port set for early 2027 opening

The state-of-the-art Mutare Dry Port is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2027, with the multi-million-dollar project set to transform transport, customs clearance and logistics services while strengthening the city's position as a regional trade gateway.

The facility, which is being constructed on 26 hectares of land acquired in 2022, is designed to consolidate key customs, transport and cargo-clearing operations under one roof.

Once operational, the dry port is expected to ease congestion at Forbes Border Post, improve cargo movement along the strategic Beira Corridor and reduce transit times and logistics costs for importers and exporters.

It is also expected to enhance cargo security, attract investment in warehousing and distribution, create employment and stimulate economic activity across Manicaland and the wider region.

The facility will feature modern cargo-handling equipment, including reach stackers, rubber-tyred gantry cranes, empty-container handlers and heavy-duty forklifts for palletised and break-bulk cargo.

Other planned infrastructure includes terminal tractors and skeletal trailers, weighbridges, truck scales, advanced customs scanning equipment, refrigerated container monitoring systems, warehouse handling equipment, digital yard-management systems, CCTV surveillance and fire-suppression systems.

Public Service Pension Fund chief investment officer Dr Farai Gaba said the project was conceived as a long-term solution to congestion at Forbes Border Post while contributing to Mutare's economic transformation.

Addressing a delegation that toured the facility last week, Dr Gaba said Phase One of the project was already under construction.

"This project sits on 26 hectares of land acquired in 2022. The planning and approval processes have since been completed and development is now underway. We are currently implementing Phase One of the project," he said.

He said the dry port would be capable of handling up to 800 haulage trucks a day, allowing customs procedures to be conducted away from the border crossing.

"The trucks will be processed here, enabling ZIMRA and other agencies to carry out customs procedures off the main route. This will improve the flow of traffic and make Mutare more accessible and passable than it is today," Dr Gaba said.

Datvest Asset Management general manager Tendai Muzadzi said the project was specifically designed to divert customs and cargo-related activities away from the congested Forbes Border corridor.

"Bonded warehouse processes can begin from this facility. The impact on the local economy will be enormous," he said.

Muzadzi said the project was already benefiting local businesses, with about half of the construction workforce coming from Manicaland. Machinery and construction materials were also being sourced from local companies and suppliers.

He said extensive groundwork had been required before construction could begin, including clearing the site, removing unsuitable material and compacting the ground to provide a stable foundation.

Construction started in May this year, with Phase One expected to be completed by March 2027.

"As we move into Phase Two, Phase One will already be operational, enabling us to start delivering services while further developments continue," Muzadzi said.

Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Abiot Maronge said the project was already generating employment and economic opportunities in the province.

"This is a very welcome development for Manicaland Province. The volume of trucks passing through Mutare every day is enormous and creates substantial pressure on our infrastructure. This project offers a practical and long-term solution," he said.

Maronge said hundreds of skilled and unskilled workers, including local graduates, had secured employment through the project.

He added that the dry port would complement the upgrading of Forbes Border Post and construction of the Christmas Pass Bypass Road.

"We expect this facility to work seamlessly with the expansion of Forbes Border Post and the Christmas Pass Bypass Road project. Together, these developments will fundamentally change the movement of people and goods through Mutare and strengthen the province's position as a strategic trade corridor," he said.

The project is expected to deepen Zimbabwe's trade links with neighbouring SADC countries while supporting investment in logistics, warehousing, distribution and value-addition industries along the Beira Corridor.