Rail siding can accommodate block train
SA CONTAINER Depots has re-engineered its City Deep facility and opened a new empty container park, Freightbase, within a few kilometres of its current depot.
Freightbase occupies six hectares including warehousing space and offers capacity for up to 3 500 teus (twenty foot equivalent units).
There's been huge demand for 12 metre storage space with a rail siding, Johannesburg regional director Dennis Trotter told FTW. The Freightbase facility has three railway lines and can comfortably accommodate a block train. Since 70% of the 12m containers we load move by rail, this will offer big savings to shipping lines.
The re-engineering of its City Deep facilities, to create a major transport hub, has enabled SACD to improve efficiency and vehicle turnaround times significantly, says Trotter.
All general purpose boxes will be handled at Freightbase while the established City Deep facility will be used for specials.
We've created a new washbay and repair area inside the operational area which will also lead to quicker turnaround of equipment, which is what the lines are demanding, Trotter told FTW.
A new tracking office has been set up at Freightbase which is linked online to the SACD main computer system.
The facility has an active rail interchange and will enable customers to take advantage of rail opportunities. SACD has invested heavily in computers with the new software called Pirate now almost a year old.
It enables the company, through a national network, to take advantage of
business to business enhancements, says Trotter.
Currently under development is a track and trace solution of full and empty containers through the
container system.
Further enhancements and details of the grand opening of Freightbase will be revealed shortly.
Copyright Now Media (Pty) Ltd
No article may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor
To respond to this article send your email to joyo@nowmedia.co.za
