Grindrod plans to begin moving about 280 000 tonnes of coal a year from Mpumalanga to its terminal in Maputo under South Africa's emerging open-access rail framework, positioning itself to become one of the first private operators to run freight trains on Transnet's network.
A test train is scheduled before the end of the year, with commercial operations targeted for the first half of 2027.
The company's operational readiness for open access is "progressing very well", according to CEO Kwazi Mabaso, who was speaking during an operational performance webinar. Grindrod had secured two weekly train slots on the corridor and was taking a cautious approach to launching the service, he said. The initial operation will require three locomotives, plus one spare, and 50 wagons.
Annual coal volumes could increase to more than 400 000 tonnes if the service is expanded to three weekly train slots, Mabaso said. Increasing the wagon fleet to 100 while retaining the same locomotive configuration would enable a third weekly train slot, he added, but he does not expect securing the additional slot will be a lengthy process once the required conditions have been met.
The planned test train would mark an important milestone ahead of the targeted start of commercial operations in the first half of 2027, Mabaso said.
The announcement marks a further step in the implementation of South Africa's open-access rail reforms. Earlier this year, the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) confirmed that several private operators had signed access agreements as preparations continued for the phased introduction of third-party train operations on the national rail network.
Rail operations on regional corridors were expected to improve during the second half of the year following the reopening of the Chikwalakwala line in May, Mabaso said. He added that the line's closure, together with disruptions in Eswatini and adverse weather, had constrained locomotive deployment.
