TFR partners with private sector

Transnet Freight Rail
will use private sector
rail sidings and stacking
facilities where necessary to
address capacity constraints
as an unexpected increase in
demand places huge strain
on its facilities – especially
at the City Deep inland port.
Bheka Xaba, TFR
executive manager, last
week told FTW that demand
at present far exceeded
capacity, and despite the
criticism being levelled
against the organisation, it
was a good problem to be
facing.
“We have a four-year
strategy in place and we
are now in the second year.
What we have seen in recent
months though is that growth
that was only expected in
2012 is happening now and
we have suddenly had to find
quick-fix solutions – and that
requires thinking out of the
box.”
According to Xaba, TFR
has had several meetings
in recent months with
industry role-players to
address concerns and to find
solutions to the capacity
crisis.
“Our strategy is not sitting
somewhere gathering dust.
It is being implemented and
there are aspects of it that
will now have to be fasttracked
to meet demand.”
One such aspect is the
planned expansion at
Kaserne, close to City Deep.
“We have started work
on the landfill site at the
facility where we are in the
process of stabilising the
ground and developing the
area. A sum of R40 million
will be spent here which will
include a slab being built
that will allow for stacking
as well as an area that can
handle empty containers,”
says Thuthuka Dladla,
senior manager – inland
intermodal & automotive
operation. “Finding a
solution to the problems we
have experienced around
empty containers is high
on the agenda. We plan to
handle empty containers at
this facility and believe it
will relieve the pressure on
the City Deep terminal.”
Empty containers have
been a bone of contention
with claims that TFR has a
continuing inability to move
empty boxes out of City
Deep by rail.
The change in industry
dynamics of loading 6m
containers with 27.5tons of mineral mining products
that was encouraged by
plate-rated containers has
caused huge displacement
in capacity, says Xaba. “For
example, import containers
in South Africa are mostly
lights and heavies, therefore
2x6m can be accommodated
per wagon. However on
exports an extra heavy 6m
container has to be centre
loaded as one per rail
wagon. Therefore our rail
wagon capacity has been
halved when moving extra
heavies. This we believe
is not only a TFR problem
but rather one on which
TFR and the industry has to
collaborate and jointly find a
solution.”
In response to this
TFR initiated an upgrade
programme of 60ton wagons
in 2007. So far 1200 have
been built and further Capex
of R60m for additional
60ton wagons is being
investigated.
“Kaserne expansion was
only on the cards in 2012,
but due to the demand, we
have to address it now,” says
Xaba. “We will spend at
least R15 million in 2010 on
this facility.”
Other constraints on
capacity include physical
stacking capacity, rail
terminal handling capacity,
wagon distribution and
utilisation as well as
management of order taking.
According to Xaba these
were all addressed following
a meeting with industry
stakeholders several weeks
ago.
In the meantime the
organisation is also
streamlining operations
in an effort to turn trains
around faster to ensure
wagon distribution and
utilisation improves.
“All role-players must
come to the table though,”
says Frans Seloane,
executive manager:
operations intermodal and
automotive. “Often we
will find wagons standing
unloaded for an entire
weekend at a private siding
– that causes major delays
for everyone.”
Various reasons exist
for the increased demand
in TFR’s service. The
recession, however,
ironically is believed to
have directly contributed
to the growth the company
has experienced. With
many road hauliers finding
it difficult to get vehicle
financing and also several
bankruptcies, rail found
itself suddenly having to
move more containers. The
capacity lost from road has
since not been replaced
and rail has stepped up and
grabbed the opportunity.