TFR sets ambitious targets for container business

Transnet Freight Rail has set itself an ambitious target – to move 500 000 containers this financial year after increasing its market share on the Natcor corridor between Johannesburg and Durban from 17-31% in 18 months. “Our key objective is to ensure that rail-friendly cargo goes back to rail,” acting CEO Tau Morwe told FTW last week at his first media conference since taking over from Siyabonga Gama who was suspended last year over alleged procurement irregularities. “We are in business to serve the customer and the key is to ensure that the 800 trains that we run on a daily basis run on time. “Going forward we need to ring-fence assets around certain flows to guarantee reliability and to deliver the right cargo at the right time at the right place.” In terms of general freight business, Morwe is well aware that shippers have lost faith in TFR’s ability to deliver a reliable service. “I am the first to admit that we do not always provide a predictable service,” he told FTW. “But when disruptions occur in the system it’s difficult for a scheduled service to be predictable. “A key challenge is to address unplanned downtime so that we reduce the 32% of the time we spend re-planning trains because of incidents and failures.” Morwe believes that it’s part of a journey that begins with the first step. He saw progress in addressing the challenges during his tenure as Transnet Port Terminals CEO, and is determined to apply similar principles at TFR – and make it work.