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Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613868713312256 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Bod, Anja Mari |
| author2 | Goedhals-Gerber, Leila |
| author_browse | De Bod, Anja Mari Goedhals-Gerber, Leila |
| author_facet | Goedhals-Gerber, Leila De Bod, Anja Mari |
| author_sort | De Bod, Anja Mari |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134584 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:59.065Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134584 Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo De Bod, Anja Mari Goedhals-Gerber, Leila Van Eeden, Joubert Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Logistics. Agricultural products -- Marketing -- South Africa Fruit trade -- South Africa Fruit -- Transportation -- South Africa Transportation corridors -- South Africa Physical distribution of goods -- South Africa Cold storage -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. De Bod, A. M. 2025. Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa: The case for the Port of Maputo. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/4c47fab8-7092-4b9a-b1e4-074b84d12d7c ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study investigates the feasibility of utilising the Port of Maputo as an alternative export corridor for fruit produced in South Africa’s northern provinces—Limpopo and Mpumalanga—which are traditionally exported via the Port of Durban. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with stakeholders such as exporters, logistics service providers, freight forwarders, shipping lines, industry bodies, cross border agencies, cold stores and port operators—supported by secondary data—this research explores key factors influencing corridor selection, trade-offs, comparative supply chain performance, operational challenges, and strategic recommendations for long-term development. Export corridor selection is shaped by a combination of logistical, operational, and market-driven factors, some of which are in geographical proximity to growing regions, target markets, market accessibility and flexibility, cost and lead time, cold chain reliability, market accessibility, and fruit-specific requirements. The Maputo Corridor offers closer geographic proximity and faster lead times for fruit from Limpopo and Mpumalanga yet presents cross-border complexities and shipping route limitations (limited to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Asia). The Durban Corridor provides superior infrastructure, greater cold chain capacity, and broader global connectivity, but suffers from congestion, equipment failures, and systemic inefficiencies—especially during peak export periods. Exporters face critical trade-offs when using the Maputo Corridor. These include decisions about whether to manage logistics in-house or outsource to specialists; whether to work with transporters based in South Africa or Mozambique; and whether to containerise fruit domestically or across the border. Each option carries implications for control, cost, regulatory compliance, and operational risk. For example, containerising in South Africa offers more control over quality and access to “special” markets, while Mozambique-based loading reduces transport costs. Challenges were documented along both corridors, with the Durban Corridor facing the highest concentration. The Port of Durban alone accounted for 45 % of all reported issues, including port congestion, labour disruptions, and external events such as strikes and floods. In contrast, the Maputo Corridor experienced fewer problems, primarily related to container availability and quality, road transport inefficiencies, and irregular shipping schedules. Notably, the Port of Maputo reported the fewest challenges overall, but with limited volumes transported. Despite short-term concerns, stakeholders widely agree that the Maputo Corridor holds long-term potential. Realising this requires consistent export volumes, improved demand forecasting, balancing import and export volumes as well as stakeholder collaboration and strategic alignment. Strategic short-term actions—such as aligning packing schedules to vessel availability, pre-clearing border documents, and enhancing trucking operations—can mitigate common risks. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die haalbaarheid daarvan om die Hawe van Maputo as 'n alternatiewe uitvoerkorridor te gebruik vir vrugte wat in Suid-Afrika se noordelike provinsies—Limpopo en Mpumalanga—geproduseer word, en wat tradisioneel via die Hawe van Durban uitgevoer word. Deur gebruik te maak van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met belanghebbendes soos uitvoerders, logistieke diensverskaffers, vragversenders, skeepslyne, nywerheidsliggame, grensagentskappe, koelstore en hawe-operateurs—ondersteun deur sekonde re data—ondersoek hierdie navorsing sleutel faktore wat die keuse van korridors beinvloed, afwegings, vergelykende prestasie van voorsieningskettings, operasionele uitdagings, en strategiese aanbevelings vir langtermynontwikkeling. Die keuse van uitvoerkorridors word beinvloed deur 'n kombinasie van logistieke, operasionele en markgedrewe faktore, insluitend geografiese nabyheid aan produksiegebiede, teikenmarkte, marktoeganklikheid en buigsaamheid, koste en leityd, betroubaarheid van die koueketting, en vrugspesifieke vereistes. Die Maputo-korridor bied geografiese nabyheid en vinniger leitye vir vrugte vanaf Limpopo en Mpumalanga, maar stel belanghebbendes bloot aan grenskompleksiteite en beperkings in skeepsroetes (hoofsaaklik beperk tot die Midde-Ooste, Suidoos-Asie en Asie ). Die Durban-korridor beskik oor beter infrastruktuur, groter kapasiteit vir die koueketting, en wyer we reldwye verbindings, maar ly onder opeenhoping, toerustingfoute en sistemiese ondoeltreffendhede—veral tydens spits uitvoerperiodes. Uitvoerders word gekonfronteer met belangrike afwegings wanneer hulle die Maputo-korridor gebruik. Hierdie sluit in besluite oor of hulle logistiek self moet bestuur of aan spesialiste moet uitkontrakteer; of hulle met vervoermaatskappye gebaseer in Suid-Afrika of Mosambiek moet werk; en of hulle vrugte in Suid-Afrika of oor die grens moet houeriseer. Elke opsie hou implikasies in vir beheer, koste, regulatoriese nakoming, en operasionele risiko. Byvoorbeeld, houerisering in Suid-Afrika bied meer beheer oor kwaliteit en toegang tot “spesiale” markte, terwyl laai in Mosambiek vervoerkoste verminder. Uitdagings is op albei korridors gedokumenteer, met die Durban-korridor wat die hoogste konsentrasie van probleme toon. Die Hawe van Durban alleen het vir 45 % van alle gerapporteerde kwessies verantwoordelikheid gedra, insluitend hawe-opstopping, arbeidsversteurings, en eksterne gebeure soos stakings en vloede. Daarenteen het die Maputo-korridor minder probleme ondervind, hoofsaaklik verwant aan beskikbaarheid en kwaliteit van houers, padvervoerrotondoeltreffendhede, en onree lmatige skeepskedules. Noemenswaardig is dat die Hawe van Maputo die minste uitdagings algeheel gerapporteer het, maar met beperkte volumes wat vervoer word. Ten spyte van korttermynbekommernisse is daar bree instemming onder belanghebbendes dat die Maputo-korridor langtermynpotensiaal inhou. Om dit te verwesenlik, is konsekwente uitvoervolumes, verbeterde vraagvoorspelling, balans tussen invoer- en uitvoervolumes, sowel as samewerking en strategiese belyning onder belanghebbendes nodig. Strategiese korttermynaksies—soos die belyning van verpakkingskedules met beskikbaarheid van skepe, voorafklaring van grensdokumente, en verbetering van vragmotorbedrywighede—kan help om algemene risiko’s te verminder. Masters 2025-12-15T09:40:58Z 2025-12-15T09:40:58Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134584 en Stellenbosch University xxi, 276 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Agricultural products -- Marketing -- South Africa Fruit trade -- South Africa Fruit -- Transportation -- South Africa Transportation corridors -- South Africa Physical distribution of goods -- South Africa Cold storage -- South Africa UCTD De Bod, Anja Mari Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo |
| title | Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo |
| title_full | Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo |
| title_short | Investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the Northern Provinces of South Africa : the case for the Port of Maputo |
| title_sort | investigating the potential of an alternative export route for fresh fruit produced in the northern provinces of south africa the case for the port of maputo |
| topic | Agricultural products -- Marketing -- South Africa Fruit trade -- South Africa Fruit -- Transportation -- South Africa Transportation corridors -- South Africa Physical distribution of goods -- South Africa Cold storage -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134584 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT debodanjamari investigatingthepotentialofanalternativeexportrouteforfreshfruitproducedinthenorthernprovincesofsouthafricathecasefortheportofmaputo |