Gabcon developing regional container hub

The Gaborone Container
Terminal (Gabcon) – a joint
venture between Botswana
Railways and Transnet – is
developing a regional container hub
at its dry port in Gaborone.
Botswana, South Africa and
other countries in the SADC
region will be served by the hub,
says managing director Modise
Koofhethile.
Over nine million Pula (nearly
R10-m) was invested during 2009
in new equipment and upgrades to
the terminal, which can now handle
two trains of 45 wagons at a time.
It has storage for 800 containers,
and will be adding warehousing to
cater for the consolidation of cargo
and the stuffing and destuffing of
containers, he says.
Transnet has also invested in
new rolling stock for the Durban-
Gaborone line. More than 98% of
the freight railed into Botswana
is landed in Durban, with small
quantities from Port Elizabeth and
Cape Town.
Rail is more cost-effective than
road on the route, according to
Koofhethile.
According to the managing
director, efficiencies and volumes
at the dry port have grown since
it started operating as a private
company in April this year. It has
greater flexibility than when it
fell under the state railway, says
Koofhethile.
Container volumes have more
than doubled to around 1 500 TEUs
a month, with five trains a week, in
place of just two a week.
According to Koofhethile, the
dry port is able to handle up to 200
TEUs a day.
“We turn trains around within
four hours, and will continue to
invest as volumes grow,’ he says.
New investment plans include
a car terminal catering mainly for
second hand vehicles imported
through South African terminals.
The South African authorities
are insisting that the vehicles be
transported “off wheel” by road
or rail until they are outside the
borders of the country.
Gaborone is well situated to serve
vehicle imports from Durban and
Walvis Bay, he says.
“We are looking for an operator.
We will provide the facility. We
have 36 000 m² of land to develop,
so there is plenty of land for the
expansion,” he says.
Botswana customs is to open
offices inside Gabcon, and there are
also plans for a scanner on site.
Long-term plans for a rail link
between Walvis Bay, and between
Francistown to the northern border
of the country will also boost the
status of the Gabcon facility as a
regional hub.
A second dry port has been
opened in Francistown (Francon),
with another facility in Palapye,
which is becoming an important
development hub in Botswana.