Tambo Springs rail terminal moves ahead

An
announcement
of the winning
bid for the
development of a rail
terminal at the muchanticipated
Tambo Springs
Freight and Logistics Hub
is expected to be made
before the end of this year.
While it has been a year
since tender submissions
closed, an intensive
adjudication process to
determine the winning
bid has been ongoing,
according to Anthony
Fletcher, director of Tambo
Springs Development
Company (TSDC).
He said the process
had been concluded
and was in the final
stage before a public
announcement of the
winning bid would be
made.
“The final stage is for
the Transnet Board to
formally approve the
adjudication decision for
the concessionaire. This
is anticipated to be end
September, early October,”
he said after which the
announcement would be
made public.
According to Fletcher
once this process has
been concluded a formal
contract will be drawn
up between Transnet and
the concessionaire, which
amongst other things will
determine when the rail
terminal will open for
operation.
“At this stage it is
expected to be open in the
first quarter of 2019, with
construction commencing
during 2018,” he said.
While this process has
been ongoing, TSDC has
been responsible for a
second stream of activity
– the land development –
which includes the land set
aside for the rail terminal.
“Phase 1A of the
overall development is
currently being prepared
for development so that
logistics, freight and
other related industries
will be able to locate to
Tambo Springs and be
operational at the same
time as the rail terminal
becomes operational,” he
told FTW. “The various
regulatory approvals to
allow commencement of
development of Phase 1A
are in place.”
He said TSDC was
also responsible for the
installation of both bulk
and internal services for
which construction was on
track to start in 2018.