Mozambique and Zimbabwe have begun work on a major expansion of the CPMZ fuel pipeline, a project expected to significantly increase the flow of refined petroleum products into Southern Africa’s landlocked markets and reinforce one of the region’s most important energy corridors.
Mozambique President Daniel Chapo and Zimbabwe President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa broke ground on the expansion in Nhamatanda, Sofala Province, marking a new phase in efforts to strengthen the Beira-Harare corridor and improve the region’s resilience to growing fuel demand.The project will raise the annual capacity of the CPMZ pipeline by 67%, from 3 million to 5 million cubic metres, by the end of 2027. In practical terms, that translates into capacity for roughly two billion additional litres of fuel each year. The expansion comes at a time when reliable access to fuel remains central to economic activity across Southern Africa, particularly for landlocked countries that depend on established transport corridors to connect them with ports on the Indian Ocean.
A vital link from the coast to the hinterland
Stretching 294 kilometres from the Port of Beira to Feruka in Zimbabwe, the CPMZ pipeline has been carrying refined petroleum products since 1982. It forms a key component of the wider Beira Corridor, linking Mozambique’s Indian Ocean coastline with Zimbabwe and other inland economies. The additional capacity will support the movement of diesel, petrol and jet fuel into Zimbabwe and potentially further into markets including Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For Mozambique, the investment strengthens the country’s position as a gateway for regional trade. For Zimbabwe and its neighbours, it provides additional capacity along a supply route that has become increasingly important to the movement of essential energy products.H.E. Daniel Chapo, President of the Republic of Mozambique, described the project as an investment in both infrastructure and regional cooperation. “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.
H.E. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, similarly framed the expansion as a project whose significance extends beyond the two countries.“The stronger Beira-Harare corridor will support Zimbabwe’s energy security while creating greater capacity to serve markets beyond our borders,” he added.
Expansion without interrupting supply
One of the project’s key features is that construction and commissioning are being planned around the pipeline’s existing operations. The expansion is expected to proceed without disrupting the daily movement of fuel through the corridor, allowing the infrastructure to be upgraded while maintaining supplies to the markets that already depend on it. Two new pumping stations will be constructed at Nhamatanda in Sofala Province and Messica in Manica Province. Their development is being coordinated with the planned expansion of the Petrozim Line between Feruka and Harare, creating a higher-capacity route from Mozambique’s coast into Zimbabwe’s interior.
The project builds on an earlier CPMZ expansion completed in 2024, which increased the pipeline’s annual capacity from 2 million to 3 million cubic metres. António Laice, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said the latest investment would add capacity while protecting the reliability of existing supplies. “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.” He added that the project should be viewed in broader regional terms, describing it as an investment in “regional trade, industrial activity and the long-term reliability of Southern Africa’s fuel supply network.”
Looking beyond 2027
The new pumping stations are not being viewed as the final stage of the corridor’s development. Preliminary studies are already examining the possibility of replacing the existing pipeline with a larger-diameter system. Such an upgrade could eventually raise annual capacity to approximately 12 million cubic metres, potentially providing sufficient infrastructure to meet projected regional demand through to 2050. A separate proposal is also being evaluated to extend the Harare-Lusaka route into Zambia’s Copperbelt, potentially creating a more integrated network for moving petroleum products between coastal supply points and some of Southern Africa’s most important inland economic centres. If realised, those longer-term projects could substantially reshape the region’s fuel logistics, reducing pressure on existing routes while improving the movement of essential energy products across national borders.
CPMZ has operated the Beira-Feruka pipeline continuously since 1982. The system runs around the clock, 365 days a year, supported by a technical workforce made up entirely of Mozambican professionals. Its operations are managed through real-time SCADA monitoring and governed by safety, environmental and risk-prevention standards.
About CMPZ
Companhia do Pipeline Moçambique-Zimbabwe, Lda. is a Mozambican company that operates the 294-kilometre pipeline between the Port of Beira and Feruka in Zimbabwe. Established in 1982, CPMZ operates under a stable governance model bringing together the State of Mozambique and private investors and which has been a pillar of the company’s success over more than 40 years, and a cornerstone of its contribution to the development of the country at large and the communities it serves. Its workforce is composed entirely of qualified Mozambican professionals.
CPMZ transports diesel, petrol and jet fuel and operates continuously throughout the year. Its infrastructure is monitored in real time using SCADA technology and operates according to stringent safety, environmental and risk-prevention standards.
