East London’s fast train begins next month

LEONARD NEILL EAST LONDON harbour’s fast delivery rail service to Gauteng finally comes on track on March 1. It offers the fastest and most cost effective service for goods shipped to or from Europe to Gauteng, says National Ports Authority spokesman Terry Taylor. Negotiations for the service opened between NPA, Spoornet and shipping lines a year ago, and Taylor is satisfied that the award made in the final quarter of 2004 to East London as the most efficient port in the country, was the boost the project needed. “It has taken us six weeks this year to get the plan fully under way. We have been talking to manufacturers and importers on the Reef since winning the award. By offering a more competitive rail rate and transport time to Gauteng we can now cut the level of under-utilisation in the harbour,” says Taylor. “We have been given a very competitive rate between East London and Gauteng by Spoornet, and we have been assured of up to five dedicated container trains a week direct to the Pretcon container terminal near Pretoria. This experiences less congestion than City Deep. Coupled to this is the fact that congestion is something we don’t experience in our harbour, unlike others, and we have the basis for a splendid service.” The deal takes at least two days off transit time between Europe and the Reef, compared to Cape Town and Durban. Several shipping lines are already planning schedules from Europe direct to East London, he says.