French energy giant TotalEnergies has announced the implementation of a strict new security regime at the Mozambique LNG project, located on the Afungi peninsula in Cabo Delgado province. The decision is a key precondition for lifting the force majeure status that has been in place since 2021 and reflects mounting concerns over regional instability. The information was first reported by Africa Intelligence.
During a videoconference held on May 27, TotalEnergies’ Country Director for Mozambique, Maxime Rabilloud, addressed around 120 participants including contractors and subcontractors. Among them were representatives from CCS JV (a consortium led by Saipem, McDermott International, and Chiyoda), as well as companies such as WBHO and Gabriel Couto. The purpose was to present the updated security protocols for the project.
According to Africa Intelligence, Rabilloud announced that the liquefied natural gas (LNG) park area will be entirely inaccessible by land. All personnel, supplies, and construction materials will now be transported exclusively by sea or air. The Afungi site includes an airstrip built by the Portuguese company Gabriel Couto, which will play a central role in the new logistics plan.
The 20-minute meeting concluded without any question-and-answer session, underscoring the non-negotiable nature of the new rules imposed by TotalEnergies. The company stressed that all operations on-site will be subject to strict security audits across every level of the supply chain.
Security in northern Mozambique remains one of the primary obstacles to the resumption of this megaproject, valued at over $20 billion. Since 2017, Cabo Delgado has suffered frequent attacks by armed groups affiliated with Islamist extremist movements. These threats prompted TotalEnergies to halt construction in 2021, just a year after taking over the project from former operator Anadarko.
Although approximately 3,500 Rwandan troops have been deployed to the area since July 2021, the long-term viability of their presence remains uncertain. This has compelled TotalEnergies to take more drastic in-house measures to ensure both the continuation of the project and the safety of its workforce.
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné had already announced in early May the company’s intention to lift the force majeure status by mid-2025, contingent on improved security conditions. With the new safety protocols in place, the company hopes to establish a sufficiently controlled environment to restart construction on two gas liquefaction trains, which will have a combined annual capacity of 13.1 million tonnes.
The approach taken by TotalEnergies
signals a new chapter in the development of Mozambique’s largest energy projectone
that could prove transformative for the national economy, provided long-term
security can be assured. Mozanorte
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