Infrastructure and renewable energy the big drivers
Developments in Sub-
Saharan Africa continue
to drive project cargo
growth with more than
half (56%) of the 51 freight industry
decision-makers surveyed by FTW
last month expecting to see some
form of growth in their project
cargo business for the year ahead.
A whopping 43.7% of those
surveyed expect “some growth”
while 12.3% are anticipating
“significant growth”. A few (12.7%)
are projecting a decline while 31.3%
don’t foresee much of a change.
Judging by industry input,
infrastructure development and
alternative/renewable energy
projects seem to be the big growth
drivers. And while oil and gas and
mining projects have dipped a little
– mostly on the back of depressed
commodity prices – there are high
hopes that these two sectors will
pick up soon.
“We have set up a specialised oil
and gas team for project potential
in West Africa, Mozambique
and Tanzania and are already
reaping the rewards from our
investment,” said Hilton Tait,
Africa development manager
incorporating projects and
roadfreight for SDV.
He told FTW that mining outside
South Africa’s borders continued to
grow, despite low commodity prices
and depressed markets.
Peter Ndlovu, business
development manager for Ziegler
South Africa, agreed pointing out
that there were regional countries
where mining projects had been
unaffected by labour issues and the
slump in commodity prices. “Also,
there is increasing investment
in alternative energy projects
which will stimulate project cargo
growth,” he said.
Another source, speaking to
FTW on condition of anonymity,
commented that mines – along
with other heavy industries – were
struggling to produce in the face of
power shortages
Andrew Robinson, director at
transport law firm, Norton Rose
Fulbright, pointed out that his
company had seen an increase in
project cargo aimed at transport
infrastructure development –
mostly rail.
The major challenges...
