Coal train ramp-up to reduce port congestion
EFFORTS to reduce Richards Bay port congestion and minimise truck backlogs are bearing fruit as Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) plans to ramp up trains on the coal export line.
The entity is expected to increase coal trains from 21 to 28 per week on the North Corridor, along with an injection of locomotives.
The ramp-up seeks to reduce truck loads and migrate volume from road to rail, an initiative that began late last year, resulting in fewer trucks on the city's roads and along the N2 over the last few months.
According to TFR, customers who were road hauling to the Port of Richards Bay at the time were identified and approached directly to indicate interest in participating in a test train service.
This was to enable Transnet and the customers to assess train loading capabilities and rail friendliness of their cargo for each of the parties that were road hauling to the port.
“As of 31 March, the test train initiative had seen TFR moving 106 000 tonnes from road to rail, while removing approximately 3 100 truckloads from the roads (6 200 truck movements, including the empty leg).
“To date, seven customers, a majority of whom were 100% on the road before, have been tested.
"The process to test the remaining customers is ongoing, subject to available capacity on a week-by-week basis,” said North Corridor acting managing executive Theo Johnson.
Conveyor repair and truck staging
The ramp-up of coal trains is coupled with the return of a 2.2km coal export conveyor belt at the Richards Bay port terminal, which had been out of service for two years owing to fire damage.
It is one of three that were gutted by fire in October 2021 and has an output of more than three million tonnes per year.
The procurement processes to repair the remaining two are at an advanced stage.
In a recent communique to customers, Richards Bay port terminals managing executive Thulasizwe Dlamini also revealed that a truck staging area for the port, which is under construction, is estimated to be completed by mid-May.
"This will greatly enhance the port's ability to keep Road Motor Transport (RMT) off the road for future emergency occasions.
"The new truck staging area will be able to accommodate 300-350 RMTs," said Dlamini.