Trying to move high volume traffic from road to rail, writes Ray Smuts
MUCH as was the case with Martin Luther King Jr, Graham Peinke has a dream.
The introduction earlier this month of Spoornet/ SACD's new rail service between Portnet's Durban container terminal and SACD's rail siding at City Deep outside Johannesburg could well be the forerunner of better things to come, although Peinke, m.d. of SACD, admits his is still pretty much 'revolutionary' thinking.
If it were possible, and the issue has yet to be formally raised with Spoornet, we would look at effectively chartering or even buying rolling stock which would bring about new
levels of efficiency and responsiveness.
The new service is not a time-saver as such, duration being much the same as previously, but the main benefits according to SACD marketing director Geoff Popple are improved efficiency and cost savings to container operators.
Peinke told FTW there were off-the-mark perceptions that the Durban-Johannesburg rail service took 'forever' (18 and a half hours in fact) and that shipping lines were concerned about a number of rail transport problems existing between the two cities.
These, confirms a shipping source, relate to insufficient rail trucks, locomotives breaking down and Spoornet's inclination at times to off-handedness in dealing with customer complaints.
Prior to the introduction of the new daily service on November 1, containers were sent from Durban's Portnet container terminal to Spoornet's container terminal at City Deep.
Under the new dispensation, containers go direct to SACD's rail siding at City Deep, offering clients various advantages - quicker turnaround times, greater flexibility and an integrated package that includes custom exams, transport, pack and unpack.
Peinke says the shipping industry has tended to favour road over rail, considering the former to be more efficient in that boxes can be delivered straight to the importer. Even though road transport is up to 40% more expensive than rail there is still a place for it, particularly with regard to time-sensitive cargo, he believes.
What we are trying to do with this new service is move the high volume traffic off road onto rail in the national interest. While the medium to short-term benefit of the service is cost saving, the long-term advantages of rail over road transport are reduced pollution and less deterioration of the infrastructure.
Peinke explains that Spoornet charges the existing intermodal operators, Cross Country Containers, MSC Logistics, Roadwing, Railroad Africa and Rennies Ships Agency for rail costs related to the new service while SACD raises handling, storage, unpacking and other charges such as transportation of full containers to the customer's door.
Heading up the service is Dennis Trotter, SACD's regional director for Gauteng.
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