Ambitious plans to ramp up bulk mineral volumes

Landside and port logistics
operator, FPT Group,
has diversified its service
offering to provide both
inland and port quayside
logistics solutions
for specific mineral
commodities, catering for
up to 100 000 tonnes per
month of bulk storage and
shipping capability.
The new solution
includes warehousing,
containerising and
shipping of minerals.
“Since the diversification,
FPT has already shipped
approximately 200 000
tonnes of bulk minerals
and we plan to ramp
this up to one million
tonnes per annum over
the next five years,” said
Francois Marais, executive
manager: business
development.
He told FTW that
the diversification had
been achieved by forging
strategic partnerships with
existing market players
along with conversions
of some of its quayside
infrastructure. “Due to
the cyclical nature of the
commodity market, FPT
will remain diversified in
terms of its service offering
– with mineral commodity
logistics making up part of
its growth expectations for
the future,” said Marais.
He pointed out that the
sustainability of the sector
was threatened by policy
and regulatory uncertainty
on the African continent
as well as the possibility of
decreased demand from the
developing world. “This,
coupled with inadequate
logistics infrastructure and
the increased cost of labour
and electricity, poses the
biggest challenge,” Marais
commented.
He suggested that
this could be addressed
if governments focused
on creating policy and
regulatory certainty and on
fostering stronger private/
public partnerships. “This
would lead to local and
foreign investment in the
industry and create a more
sustainable sector,” said
Marais.
He added that efficiencies
could be improved and
excessive costs reduced if
mining companies partnered
with the right service
providers to assist with
their inbound and outbound
logistics. “Switching more
commodity transport from
road to rail and reducing the
amount of handling points
could give them a competitive
edge,” Marais said.
CAPTION
FPT has already shipped approximately 200 000 tonnes of bulk minerals and plans to ramp
this up to one million tonnes per annum over the next five years