Overview
About Us
Mpulungu Harbour Corporation Limited (MHCL), a company wholly owned by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) operates Zambia’s only water-based Port. The Port opens up the country to a regional market made up of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Western Tanzania, extending further to Rwanda and South Sudan.
MHCL is in the business of facilitating cargo movement that is imported or exported through the Lake Tanganyika Transport Corridor. Various cargo such as cement, sugar, coal, other construction materials and frozen foods like chicken or fish transit through the Port.
The port was built in the 1930s as a fishing berth, this was before Zambia became a Republic. Following independence, it ceased to operate merely as a fishing berth and served as an alternative storage facility for fuel imported through East Africa and supplied to the Northern part of Zambia. As of 1977, that the port started handling exports to the Great Lakes Region. Over the last few years, MHCL company has scored significant milestones, breaking the 200,000 metric tons in 2020, a target which according studies conducted was projected that the Port would only achieve in 2024. From a history of loss making, MHCL’s performance has improved, declaring its first profit in 2019 and its first dividend to IDC for the 2020 financial year. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, this performance has been achieved by implementing key reforms in the areas of cost control, balance sheet restructuring and growing the business. MHCL’s growth is mainly driven by increased cargo handling which remains largely out-ward bound.
Promoting the concept of true north in leadership concept, MHCL is guided by its strategic business plan aimed at optimizing its operations in order to remain profitable and sustainable, for the benefit of all Zambians. Currently, the Corporation is ambitiously seeking to create a modern, fourth-generation Port, which shall not only be about loading and offloading vessels as a form of business, but one that shall create an economic zone around Mpulungu to facilitate economic activities such as production and processing of a multi-category of commodities. Further, the Port envisions itself investing a in Shipping Line business that will carry Zambia’s first ever registered ship on the Lake Tanganyika waters.
Our Vision
To be a world class hub for intermodal transportation and value adding services in the great lakes’ region.
Our Mission
We create value through reliable, efficient, sustainable, diverse and competitive services for our stakeholders.