New ‘half container’ caters for mining sector

The launch of a new container in the South African market is set to enhance and facilitate the move from road to rail, especially in the mining sector. Logistics company Santova is introducing the 20-foot half height open top container in conjunction with terminal operations specialists, Nzenga. The container, especially designed to carry heavy bulk cargoes, promises to minimise transport time and save cargo handling costs as it can facilitate onsite loading and discharge, according to Santova Logistics SA managing director, Lance van Zyl. “These containers have been in use in the Australian mining sector for some time. They address the gap in the South African market perfectly at a time when there is a call to move mining commodities from road to rail.” At only 1.4m the container is half the length of a normal container but can carry a load of 32 tons. With a removable roof, both the front barn doors and rear can discharge for easy loading. “The containers can be loaded from the top or the side depending on a customer’s need and at the final destination they can be cleared conventionally or tipped, further reducing handling cost and time.” With these containers the need for bulk wagons – of which there is a major shortage in the country – is minimised as the containers are transported on flatbed wagons or trucks. “The container can be tipped while on the truck so there is no need to use a tipper truck,” said Nathi Thusi, CEO of Nzenga. “If on rail, the reach stacker is used to tip the containers so it is also a faster and more effective method.” With a skewed transport system in terms of road and rail, government’s commitment to moving cargo to rail has been looking for just this solution, said Raisibi Lepule, deputy director general of the Department of Public Enterprises. “We see this as part of the innovative solutions needed to migrate mining commodities from road to rail.” Introduced to the mining sector, government and Transnet for the first time last week, the new containers are manufactured in China. They are also seaworthy although they will only be utilised in getting product from the mine to storing facilities at present.