NRZ and BBR Clinch Rail Deal to Haul Lithium to Maputo

The National Railways of Zimbabwe partnered with Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway to transport lithium concentrate from Gwanda to Mozambique’s Maputo port, Reuters reported. The collaboration introduces a freight rail alternative to the dominant and costlier trucking logistics that have bottlenecked mineral exports. This structural shift directly challenges the road transport lobby's grip on the lithium supply chain. The strategic leverage point lies in rail's untested reliability; any operational failure on this new corridor could paralyze export volumes and hand negotiating power back to trucking cartels.