The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, has officially launched the construction of the world’s longest jetty on Inhaca Island, a structure almost a kilometre long, with the aim of promoting tourism, trade and scientific research in the region.
Valued at 13.5 million dollars and with a completion period of 12 months, the infrastructure is seen as a significant milestone for the country and will be symbolically handed over in 2025, the year in which Mozambique celebrates 50 years of independence. During the ceremony launching the works, Nyusi described the jetty as a “gift” to the nation, stressing that Inhaca Island, also known as KaNyaka, had waited five decades to see a project of this scale come to fruition.
As well as establishing a more efficient link with the city of Maputo, the new jetty will allow boarding and disembarking operations at any tide, overcoming the current limitations that affect the flow of passengers and the movement of essential goods.
Inhaca Island, located a few kilometres from Maputo Bay and with a population of around six thousand, is one of the province’s leading tourist destinations, but it still faces accessibility difficulties and a shortage of adequate sea transport.
The new jetty responds to these shortcomings, paving the way for economic growth while preserving the natural and cultural heritage that characterise the island. Funding for the jetty will be partly provided by the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), as part of a 15 million dollar package that also includes other social projects linked to the extension of the port concession contract until 2058.
The infrastructure joins a series of internationally renowned attractions that the city of Maputo offers, including the Maputo-Katembe suspension bridge, built by the same Chinese company responsible for the current project. Nyusi also issued a call for private investment in Inhaca, emphasising the island’s tourism potential and the importance of its environmental conservation. This ambitious project marks a new chapter for the connectivity of Inhaca Island, placing it firmly on Mozambique’s tourist and economic map, as a historic date approaches for the country.
