Innovative rail wagon reduces damages for Zambian shipper

Barloworld Logistics is

working with Zambia

Railways Limited (ZRL)

to use rail in the country

as part of an intermodal

cross-border solution.

“We collaborate with

ZRL and its

customers

to develop

optimised

logistics

solutions for

local goods

distribution

and into

export markets,” said

Kate Stubbs, marketing

executive of Barloworld

Logistics

She pointed out that the

logistics major managed

a multi-modal solution in

partnership with ZRL and

local road transporters.

This included the recent

revival of a sugar terminal

in the town of Mazabuka

located just south west

of the Zambian capital of

Lusaka.

“The town has grown

around sugar plantations

and we have developed

a solution

around a

locally based

customer

who has

business

interests in

Zambia and

the greater

southern Africa region

to deliver cargo from

Mazabuka, via rail, to

Ndola. The cargo is then

moved onto road where it

is shipped cross-border,”

explained Stubbs.

She told FTW that

Barloworld Logistics also

managed a rail service

for the customer from

Mazabuka to Durban

“when relevant and when

the cost is competitive”.

Stubbs said the route was

typically from Mazabuka

to Beira, Mozambique to

Durban.

ZRL provided onsite

shunting services for

the customer as well as

rail transport for bulk

product, she added. “The

rail operator has now

developed five innovative

and specialised wagons

to transport pre-packed

product which was

previously transported via

road.

“This new mode of

transport has hugely

reduced damages to the

product and enabled the

customer to ship 50%

more product into its

markets,” she said.

INSERT

50% The additional product that can

be shipped in the new wagons