Rail is firmly on track in Namibia, with TransNamib having secured funding for locomotives and wagons, according to chief executive officer Johny Smith.A R2.6-billion loan from the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) and Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) will be used to upgrade 33 locomotives and purchase a further 10, he told Freight News.The wagon f leet will also be increased through a combination of refurbishment and the purchase of new rolling stock.Engines in the new locomotives will need to be ready to convert to hydrogen or alternative energies as part of Namibia’s strategy to reduce its logistics carbon footprint in the medium to long term.It is estimated that the project will roll out over the next 18-24 months, with the first 11 refurbished locomotives being brought into service over the next year.There will be parallel upgrades to stretches of rail serving Walvis Bay and Lüderitz Bay in order to take more traffic.Modernisation of the Namibian rail system is continuing, with the introduction of a Transportation Management System (TMS) developed in-house.It provides better administration of train operations, as well as better planning of train operations. “The effective use of technology will be the major driver of transformation in our operations,” said executive: technology and innovation, Logan Fransman, at the launch of the TMS system. “Digital technology is a competitive necessity and game-changer that requires constant improvements for customer and user experience and functionality.”The increase in the rail f leet will open up more opportunities for the development of the current northern railhead of Grootfontein as a transit hub.“Everything is already in place in Grootfontein. All we need is rolling stock,” said Smith.
