TOTAL – MOZAMBIQUE LNG PROJECT: A REAR BASE IN MAYOTTE?

Total, which intends to use the enormous gas reserves in Cabo Delgado (northern Mozambique) with its partners, is faced with a major security and logistical problem

How indeed to reconcile the imperatives of a sustainable and profitable operation of the Cabo Delgado site with the security imperatives, the evacuation protocols of expatriates working on site, insurance, legal obligations, logistical constraints of this North Mozambique that investors and the population flee en masse since the advance of the Islamists who cause chaos in the region, attack villages, rape, rob, kill and behead with all their arms without encountering serious opposition from an army Mozambican little motivated to eradicate the jihadist scourge… It is also surprising to note that the extension of terrorist actions corresponds curiously to the discovery of the fabulous gas fields which will come in the coming years to compete with the gas fields of Qatar where the Muslim Brotherhood… But this is another subject. is this not? Back to our sheep said the Bedouin… The Mozambican army and the private security companies involved will, I hope, help contain the advance of the jihadists and limit their access to drilling areas, port operating bases and Total land sites. But it is nonetheless necessary, and this is a priority for Total, in this “explosive” security context to think of plan B… Which plan B must include the following services :

• Evacuate expatriates who are not essential to the operation of the production site and their families to a secure rear base in the event of the advance of jihadist forces, attacks or high security risks.
• Allow in complete safety the transport of personnel, rotations (in shifts), medical evacuations to and from a rear base fully able to deal with the problems encountered.
• Ensure the supplies necessary for the operation of the site : transit of spare parts, various goods, food, samples taken, from a nearby airport connected to an efficient international air network and also equipped with a port capable of accommodating feeders and liners of the main global shipping companies, the only ones able to transport at reasonable costs heavy packages, containers and other equipment essential for production and operation of the operating site.

“I believe the” Mayotte “solution possible and desirable for Total

I know these obligations extremely well, having assumed them in Djibouti and for several years on behalf of Total YLNG, which operated a production site in Yemen and in a region subject to terrorist risks. The Marill group, of which I was at the time the Director of Transit, International Projects and Logistics, Defense Projects, Anti-Piracy and many other things, won the day during negotiations with Total, also in talks with the Sultanate of Oman…This is the reason why I believe the “Mayotte” solution is possible and desirable for Total and for Mayotte because: Mayotte is a French Department and an Outermost Region of Europe ensuring a known legal framework, a rule of law, a French language and a modus operandi almost identical to the Metropolis, whatever the subjec … First-rate French companies are present there. Insurers will be reassured! Mayotte has an international airport and regular and secure air connections to mainland France. And by French Airlines (IATA). This same airport can also be used for charter and regular flights to and from Cabo Delgado, as I did from Balhaf (Yemen) in Djibouti a few years ago. All you need to do is position the required aircraft and crew capable of carrying passengers and cargo. Mayotte has a deep-water port, connected by leading shipping companies (including CMA-CGM) to metropolitan ports and connected to the main international “hubs”, Mayotte has logistical facilities in Longoni, competent freight forwarders working to standards French and European customs authorities, I know them extremely well, having assumed them in Djibouti and for several years on behalf of Total YLNG, which operated a production site in Yemen and in a region subject to terrorist risks. The Marill group, of which I was at the time the Director of Transit, International Projects and Logistics, Defense Projects, Anti-Piracy and many other things, won the day during negotiations with Total, also in talks with the Sultanate of Oman… This is the reason why I believe the “Mayotte” solution is possible and desirable for Total and for Mayotte because :

1. Mayotte is a French Department and an Outermost Region of Europe ensuring a known legal framework, a rule of law, a French language and a modus operandi almost identical to the Metropolis, whatever the subject… First-rate French companies are present there. Insurers will be reassured!
2. Mayotte has an international airport and regular and secure air connections to mainland France. And by French Airlines (IATA). This same airport can also be used for charter and regular flights to and from Cabo Delgado, as I did from Balhaf (Yemen) in Djibouti a few years ago. All you need to do is position the required aircraft and crew capable of carrying passengers and cargo.
3. Mayotte has a deep-water port, connected by leading shipping companies (including CMA-CGM) to metropolitan ports and connected to the main international “hubs”, Mayotte has logistical facilities in Longoni, competent freight forwarders working to standards French and European, a Customs Administration, Border Police, etc… Non-corrupt and efficient in processing files. I know this from having also worked for several years in Mayotte!
4. Mayotte also has a regional referral hospital which allows emergency hospitalization and treatment under conditions identical to those of mainland France. This is a subject that I also “practiced” having been medically and urgently evacuated from the Comoros to Mayotte and successfully treated at the Mamoudzou hospital. Evacuations are also possible for absolute emergencies to Reunion. Mayotte finally has all the accommodation capacities for families, schools, roads, infrastructure in good condition, office buildings to accommodate Total engineers and administrative staff who are unable to join Cabo Delgado but who can work in distance in complete safety and efficiency and thus perfectly support the production site.

In summary, and for all these reasons as well as others that I could develop by going a little longer, MAYOTTE IS THE SOLUTION!
All the Mahorais now have to do is take ownership of the project, defend it and demonstrate that they are able to unite without ulterior motives to support a logistics project of this scale ensuring long-term economic activity. valuable and profitable in many business sectors of the island.
As for me and Groupe Latitudes Sud, we would be very happy to participate in this great logistical adventure and make a contribution to the edifice!

Michel BRELIVET, C.E.O GROUPE LATITUDES SUD