PORT OF NACALA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R000100430002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: July 1, 1951
• Content Type: LETTER

Sanitized - Appr8S )r Rel&agdP: tIA-RDP83-064r%11 b0
Mozamt,ique, 25th
July 19x1
25X1X6
PORT OF NACALA
Gentlemen,
This will acknowledge receipt of your letter, ref. Port/ti, contents of
which were duly noted with thanks.
It is rather difficult to answer to your questions as there are, up to
the present, no official discriptions of above Port and even the Railways do not
know yet the date it will be declared an opened Port. The date has been post-
poned for three times and now according to informations we could gather it will
be officially opened this month. However, we must frankly say that we expect
another postponement as we do not see anything ready for said opening.
Replying to your questions we beg to advise:
I.:- Will you have an office at Nacala?
As soon as the plan of the City will be approved, we will, undoubtedly,
have our offices at Nacala to handle our Shipping Agencies. We have already
applied for the necessary grounds to build our offices, Houses for our staff and
Warehouses. At present, there are only a few and not enough pre-fabricated houses
belonging to the Railways, and therefore it seems to us that until said plan will
be approved all Shipping Agencies will have to continue handling there business
from here.
2.:- What is the position regarding the Stevedoring Labour?
We have been told that a Stevedoring Agency has aoplied for a license
to work at Nacala, but we doubt that said license will be granted as the Railways
are willing to take care of everything. In any case the Shipping Agencies will
not interfere in nothing with stevedorinp labour. In the meantime, we think that
shipments will have to be effected the same way we have been doing, i.e., we
shall have to take all the labour, except stevedores, from here to Nacala.
3.:- Daily rate of discharge and loading, also what will be the method of handling?
We assume that for the next few years it will be the same as at Lumbo.
As a matter of fact there is no accostable pier, and therefore the only difference
from this port is that the vessels will be nearer shore. From informations we
could gather the Railways are sending to Nacala, one landing craft a tug and a few
lighters, the number of which are still unknown.
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP83-00423R000100430002-1
 25X1X6 Sanitized - A roved For Release : CIA-RDP83-00423R00010043
-2- Mozambique 21-:th July 1951
Regarding the cargo that is usually exported to U.S.A., it seems to us
that the only one that will be shipped, at present, through Nacala will be Sisal,
belonging to Empreza Agricola do Meserpane ane Empreza Agri ,cola do Monapo, as
they have their plantations are near said Port. As to the other commodities we
think it will be rather difficldlt as there is only one warehouse and we ass-!me
that the Railways will not take the goods to the Port and leave them there without
any protection. This will be the nreblem with tea and therefore until further
warehouses will be built we expect that tea shipments will he effected at
Mozambique.
As a matter of fact, all shippers and big firms have their Offices
and Warehouses here in Mozambique, and none are willing to abandon these without
being sure that their cargo is duly handled and protected.
These are merely suppositions as they are no officials informations on
the subject.
Deta:.ls re;-arding depth of water, aids to navigation, etc., also full details
of the environments of the Port. Will water suooly be available if required.
Kindly see attached informations we cold rather on this concern.
`'.t- When it is anticinated that ocean Eroing ves