Cear and Nocma talk fuel transportation
Central East African Railways (Cear) has started talks with the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) for it to begin transporting fuel into the country from Nacala in Mozambique on behalf of Nocma.
CEAR Managing Director Hendry Chimwaza disclosed this in an interview on Wednesday. Cear is currently transporting the commodity into Malawi for the Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL).
But Chimwaza said government could reduce its spending on fuel and, in the process, increase the country’s fuel cover if Cear was fully utilised in the fuel transportation.
“One of the most critical commodities we transport into the country is fuel which has an impact on the cost of living, so as a company we have the capacity to move fuel in bulky quantities of up to two million litres in one go, safely and cheaply,” Chimwaza said.
His sentiments come at a time when the rail transport is facing a number of challenges due to the damaged rail lines in some parts of the country.
But Chimwaza has downplayed the issue, saying rehabilitation works on the damaged lines will be completed soon.
“We are rehabilitating most of our lines including the Balaka line and the Nkaya-Limbe line which will be completed in December this year, as a company we have invested over $50 million for the rehabilitation works,” Chimwaza said.
