The Unitrans Fire Truck Breaks New Ground in Mozambique
The Unitrans Fire Truck Breaks New Ground in Mozambique
Unitrans Africa is now a proud owner of its first fire truck. This brand-new fire truck for Mozambique is the first acquisition of its kind for the Unitrans Africa Group. It represents a growing diversification from traditional transport to the increasingly multi-disciplined solution services offered across the Sub-Saharan Region.
Where will be the new fire truck be used?
The Unitrans fire truck has been contracted to one of Unitrans’ major clients, Total Mozambique, and will be used at the Afungi Airport, located in the Cabo Delgado province in the north of Mozambique. This airport has been constructed to serve the major international LNG project (Liquified Natural Gas) in that country.
The airport includes a 2,300m runway, plus a passenger terminal and parking area for aircraft and helicopters. It will support the development of the offshore gas exploration projects. The services offered by Unitrans with the fire truck will be essential in providing fire support in case of an emergency with an airplane or on the ground. The fire engine will be managed by Unitrans Mozambique staff. This initiative affords employment opportunities for firemen, drivers, and technical staff recruited locally from the province and supports income generation for nationals in the North of Mozambique.
Unitrans Africa is constantly seeking new challenges, so this opportunity serves not only to provide a key presence in Mozambique but also enables representation in the expanding oil and gas sector in multiple regions, including Pemba and Palma.
A Multi-stage Transportation Trip for the Airport Fire Engine
The Unitrans fire truck was initially shipped from South Hampton in the United Kingdom to the port of Durban in South Africa. It was then loaded onto a Unitrans lowbed and transported by one of their professional, specialised transport drivers to Pemba in Mozambique. The fire truck is currently there, awaiting loading onto a barge, destined for its final location at the Afungi airport.
The trip from Durban to Pemba covered 3,300 km and required a driver who could comply with the highest safety standards throughout the journey. Manuel Matsine was selected for this unique opportunity – all reports concluded he handled his mammoth task with professionalism and expertise. Unitrans Africa has expressed their pride in the team effort and dedication focused on the successful, international, cross-border delivery of the fire truck.
MANUEL MATSINE’s journey began with his departure from Maputo on the 7 August 2020, arriving three days later in Durban where he loaded the fire truck on 10 August 2020. He left Durban the following day and arrived in Pemba on 1 September 2020. This was not only Matsine’s longest trip he has undertaken, but it was also the longest completed for Unitrans Mozambique in 2020. He is to be congratulated on his successful delivery.
Matsine summarised the trip in a few words. “In principle, it was a new experience for me, but it was calm, it went well, and I am habituated to the roads. I even passed by some turbulent areas, but I managed everything well.”
Delivery of this new Mozambique fire truck represents the commitment of Unitrans Africa in undertaking challenges, which will continuously diversify the supply chain and logistics divisions of the business across continents and regions.
Unitrans Africa is a leader in the transportation industry in Africa, with a strong footprint in other countries like Namibia and Botswana. Customers can be assured of the Group’s commitment to drive innovation in their service delivery, save on costs wherever possible and, maintain high safety standards in all their operations.
Find out more about the Unitrans Fire Truck and Unitrans Africa’s logistics solutions by contacting us via email.
