HARARE, Sept 3 – Mozambican pipeline operator CPMZ has officially launched a project to expand the capacity of the Beira-Harare fuel pipeline, strengthening a key supply route between Mozambique’s port of Beira and landlocked Zimbabwe.
The 294-kilometre pipeline currently has annual capacity of about 3 million cubic metres. The expansion will raise that figure to 5 million cubic metres, an increase of roughly 67%, according to company officials.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 and will involve the construction of two new pumping stations. The facilities will be located in Nhamatanda in central Mozambique and Messica, close to Zimbabwe’s border.
Mozambique President Daniel Chapo said the project would strengthen the region’s transport and energy infrastructure.
“This is the kind of infrastructure that strengthens regional connectivity, supports economic growth and creates greater resilience for the future,” Chapo said in a statement.
The Beira-Harare pipeline connects Mozambique’s Indian Ocean port infrastructure with Zimbabwe’s Feruka depot, providing an important route for the movement of refined petroleum products into the landlocked southern African market.
The expansion could also be coordinated with a separate upgrade of the Petrozim Line, which links Feruka with Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. Greater capacity across both sections would improve the ability of the wider network to handle increasing fuel demand.
CPMZ said the 5 million cubic metre target represents an intermediate stage in a longer-term expansion strategy. The company ultimately aims to transport approximately 12 million cubic metres of refined petroleum products annually through a larger-diameter pipeline designed to keep capacity ahead of regional consumption.
Demand for the existing infrastructure has already been increasing. CPMZ transported nearly 2.7 million cubic metres of refined petroleum products between January and December 2025, according to figures cited in a March company newsletter. That represented a 16% increase from 2024 and marked the pipeline’s highest annual throughput on record.
The expansion comes as southern African economies seek more reliable and efficient fuel supply routes. For Zimbabwe, which is landlocked and depends heavily on neighbouring countries for access to imported petroleum products, increased pipeline capacity could reduce pressure on road-based fuel logistics and strengthen supply resilience.
For Mozambique, the project further increases the strategic importance of the Port of Beira as a gateway for regional trade and energy distribution. Expanding the pipeline’s capacity could also strengthen the country’s role in supplying neighbouring markets while supporting greater integration of regional infrastructure networks.
With completion targeted for 2027, the immediate focus will be on constructing the additional pumping infrastructure and ensuring that the expanded pipeline can accommodate rising volumes. The longer-term 12 million cubic metre target would represent a much larger expansion of the corridor’s role in southern Africa’s fuel supply system.
