New rail line will add capacity for RB coal exports

Transnet and Swaziland
Railways are set to build
a new 146km railway line
between the two countries
at an estimated cost of
R17 billion.
This move will create an
additional capacity of
15 million tons on the
Richards Bay export coal
line by taking over the
general freight volumes
from the existing coal
export line, said Brian
Molefe, chief executive of
Transnet.
“This line will address
the major congestion we are
experiencing on the coal
line in the Ermelo region
and allow us to grow our
volumes on the coal export
line,” he said.
“Over the past three
months Richards Bay has
been delivering around
71 million tons of coal. This
is unprecedented growth on
this line from the 63 million
tonnes we were averaging.”
Molefe said when the
new line between Lothair
in Mpumalanga and
Sidvokodvo in Swaziland
was up and running,
activity and capacity
in Richards Bay would
undoubtedly increase.
“There has been a lot of
talk of when will we reach
the 91-million-tonnes mark.
We believe by building this
railway line we can achieve
that figure and even push
it closer to 100 million
tonnes.”
According to Minister of
Public Enterprises Malusi
Gigaba, the project marked
a significant milestone in
regional cooperation.
“Both governments are
committed to the project
while there is also an
appetite for funding.”
South Africa will carry
about R12 billion of the
costs while Swaziland will
be responsible for about
R5 billion.
Concurrent to the
building of the new 146km
railway line will be the
revival of existing lines
that will connect with the
new line, said Mlamuli
Buthelezi, chief operating
officer and acting chief
executive of TFR.
“We will revive the
existing 108km line from
Davel to Lothair, then
build the new section from
Lothair to Sidvokodvo
in Swaziland and then
revive the line from there
to Richards Bay. We will
also do work on the line for
154km from Phuzumoya to
Maputo.”
With the concept study
for the new railway line
completed in 2011, various
surveys, field investigations
and environmental studies
will be undertaken in the
next few months.
Buthelezi said
construction was expected
to start as soon as 2012 with
the line commissioned by
2016.
“This is a strategic
investment that will benefit
the economies of both
countries, while unlocking
rail capacity and increasing
access to ports for cargo
owners.”