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.