After several months of preparatory work in 2021, CPMZ and the Zimbabwe government signed the Memorandum of Understanding formalising Project Cobalt. This project envisages an action plan in several areas with one common focus: to set the scene for Harare to establish itself competitively as a central hub for distributing refined petroleum products to the hinterland.

Project Cobalt includes aspects such as the monitoring of tariffs for products transported outside of Zimbabwe, devoting the Mabvuku (Harare) tank farm exclusively to fuel destined for the hinterland, and the reformulation of the programming, nomination and injection process for refined petroleum products.

These measures are expected to increase the competitiveness of the pipeline as the preferred carrier of refined products from Beira to Southern Africa, facilitating exports by truck from Harare. This will be a cheaper, safer and more efficient alternative to transporting fuel by road from the port of Beira, enabling a reduction of about 500 kilometres for haulage operators and reducing toll costs on the EN6 road.

By developing Harare as the preferred fuel distribution hub, Project Cobalt will contribute directly to CPMZ’s strategic vision: to make the Beira-Harare pipeline the preferred carrier of fuel to the hinterland.