Greater efficiencies in the supply chains between the Copperbelt and the main ports serving the region are driving down total logistics costs for cargo owners shipping goods in and out of the Copperbelt. This follows investment in people, systems and warehousing storage areas by the Impala Terminals Group, which counts the Trafigura commodity trading group, multinational mining suppliers, and leading mining companies among its clients, according to Craig Mynhardt, managing director Impala Terminals Africa.
Impala’s network of rail and road-linked terminals provide warehousing and logistics support to mines in both Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through facilities in Ndola (Zambia), Lubumbashi and Kolwezi (DRC).The company has upgraded its warehouse and rail facilities in all five terminals in the DRC, Zambia and Tanzania.
In the second quarter of 2020 Impala moved to a 30-hectare logistics park in Lubumbashi, DRC, which has a rail siding and is on a major road intersection. It has all the necessary handling equipment for road and rail cargo, a truck parking area, and ablution facilities for drivers, says Mynhardt. “In addition, we have added a 4 500-square-metre warehouse to our Kolwezi Te r m i n a l t o cater for the increase in demand for storage and rail services between the port of Lobito and the mining sector in Kolwezi.
“This brings our bonded terminal to 10 000 sqm of under-roof storage. “These facilities are strategically located to support a greater need for mines in respect of local procurement spend in the Congo in the form of the warehousing of product and transportation costs for the first and last mile to and from mines.”At present Impala is running ten block trains between Richards Bay/Durban and Ndola/Lubumbashi.Containers are precleared, and the trains are turned around in 24-48 hours in a bonded warehouse facility.Imports, mainly for the mines, are off loaded and replaced by export copper without any administrative delays.
“Our Lubumbashi facility, which complies with global Covid regulations can accommodate 150-200 trucks for overnight parking. This serves as a pre-stage area for both import and export shipments,” he says.Impala is building on its infrastructure and experience to provide clients with competitive regional supply chain solutions between port and plant, or through its network of bonded terminals, he adds.The company is also able to handle abnormal cargo from the ports of Dar es Salaam and Durban to Zambia and the DRC.
“Impala Terminals’ strategy is to continue to grow its footprint across the region by offering efficient multimodal supply chain solutions to its customers in accordance with the highest safety standards and regulations in the jurisdictions of operation. “Impala has also launched a green supply chain strategy in order to reduce both its own and its customers’ carbon footprint,” says Mynhardt
