Maputo–Catembe Bridge, Suspension bridge in Maputo, Mozambique
The Maputo–Catembe Bridge is a four-lane suspension bridge across Maputo Bay, linking Maputo's Malanga neighbourhood with Katembe. Its deck runs 3,041 metres at a height of 60 metres, with a 680-metre main span between two 141-metre concrete pylons; the main cables are anchored in solid blocks on both shores.
A bridge over Maputo Bay was already foreseen in the World Bank-funded urbanisation plan of 1989, and the government launched an international call for expressions of interest in November 2008. After Portuguese financing fell through, an agreement with China followed President Armando Guebuza's visit in August 2011. Work began in June 2014, and President Filipe Nyusi inaugurated the bridge on 10 November 2018, the 131st anniversary of Maputo's founding.
The bridge is named after Katembe, the district it links to Maputo on the south bank of the bay. Before it opened, crossing meant a car or passenger ferry, or a long detour via Boane on the EN2 and EN200. The bridge now carries the EN1 trunk road, and its opening on 10 November 2018 fell on the 131st anniversary of Maputo's founding.
Crossing the bay now takes just a few minutes, reducing travel time to Ponta do Ouro considerably. In strong winds the drive over the high structure may feel somewhat unsettled, especially for motorcyclists or cyclists.
The central suspended section reaches a span of 680 meters, making it the longest on the entire African continent. The foundations rest on piles driven more than 100 meters deep into the soft sediments of the bay.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,622 contributors worldwide.