Forbes Border Post is now Zimbabwe’s busiest truck gateway

Long queue of commercial trucks at Forbes Border Post

By Staff Reporter — Mutare, Zimbabwe

Forbes Border Post, the eastern corridor linking Zimbabwe to Mozambique’s Beira Port, has overtaken Beitbridge as the country’s busiest entry and exit point for commercial trucks, authorities say. The surge in traffic has exposed persistent operational bottlenecks: long queues, incomplete pre‑clearance documentation, and delays that slow cross‑border trade despite recent digital and infrastructure interventions.

ZIMRA official: “Pre‑cleared means ready to go, but we cannot allow trucks to proceed when they have only registered. Trucks will only be allowed entry once assessments are complete and documents have been stamped.”

Scale of the shift and immediate effects

Originally established as a tourist clearing point, Forbes now handles more than 1,000 commercial trucks daily. Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) statistics for January–June 2025 show Forbes cleared 88,660 outgoing trucks, compared with 62,964 at Beitbridge; incoming truck volumes were 75,471 at Forbes versus 63,085 at Beitbridge. The traffic surge, which began in early 2025, has produced long queues on both sides of the border and heightened pressure on customs, transporters, and clearing agents.

The paperwork problem and short‑term fixes

ZIMRA officials told transporters that full pre‑clearance must be completed at Beira before trucks depart for Forbes. Partial compliance, where consignments are only registered but not fully assessed and stamped, forces border officials to stop trucks on arrival and prioritise fully cleared consignments, slowing overall throughput.

Transporters have raised concerns about potential extra charges in Mozambique, given the 21‑hour travel window from Beira to Forbes. ZIMRA said it will engage Mozambican counterparts to address cost and logistics issues and explore holding‑bay solutions on the Mozambican side to reduce border‑side congestion.

Infrastructure and digital reforms are underway

Stakeholders point to a combination of physical and digital upgrades as essential to managing higher traffic volumes. The government has piloted the Zimbabwe Electronic Single Window at Forbes, enabling traders to lodge standardised import, export, and transit documents electronically through a single entry point. Forbes and Machipanda border posts have also been opened for 24‑hour operations to ease peak‑time pressure.

Washington Dube, CEO of the Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe (SFAAZ), described Forbes as Zimbabwe’s strategic eastern gateway to global markets and urged faster infrastructure modernisation. He highlighted ongoing projects, including the Mutare Christmas Pass Bypass and Interchange Project and broader border modernisation, as critical to reducing congestion.

Washington Dube, SFAAZ CEO: “Coordination among government agencies, transporters, clearing agents, exporters and importers is crucial. If documents are submitted in advance and processed promptly, the 21‑hour window can be sufficient.”

Coordination and compliance as the path forward

Authorities and industry representatives agree that the immediate priority is full compliance with pre‑clearance requirements and improved coordination across the logistics chain. Practical steps urged by ZIMRA and SFAAZ include:

• Transporters submitting complete documentation before departure from Beira.

• Clearing agents are processing entries promptly and communicating with clients.

• ZIMRA and Mozambican authorities are negotiating holding bays and harmonised procedures.

• Continued investment in border infrastructure and digital systems to increase capacity.

Outlook

As cross‑border trade grows and vehicle volumes rise, Forbes Border Post’s role as a key trade corridor will depend on sustained cooperation between Zimbabwean and Mozambican authorities, disciplined adherence to pre‑clearance rules by transporters and clearing agents, and continued investment in both physical and digital infrastructure. If those elements align, the eastern corridor can remain an efficient gateway for Zimbabwe’s trade with global markets.

Forbes Border Post congestion