Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has taken delivery of seven full sets of locomotive batteries procured by Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) under a mutual cooperation agreement between the entities.
The delivery of the critical spares this past weekend will improve the reliability of the available locomotive fleet, the state-owned entity’s (SOE) acting group chief executive, Michelle Phillips, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Procurement of locomotive spares – batteries and compressors – is just one of the joint initiatives the SOE and RBCT embarked on under the agreement.
Orders were placed for 50 compressors and 1 800 batteries (100 full sets of batteries).
The full 100 sets of batteries are scheduled to be delivered by the end of April 2024, while the first compressors are expected to arrive in March 2024, with final delivery by June 2024.
Phillips said the agreement, entered into on 22 November 2023, serves as a strategic framework between the two entities to foster collaboration and stability within the South African coal supply chain.
“It seeks to ensure the efficient and uninterrupted transportation and export of coal through an efficient rail and port system, collaborative problem-solving in the face of interruptions, and compliance with legal and contractual obligations,” Phillips said.
“It also facilitates innovation and investments in infrastructure to support the coal sector.
“The Transnet Recovery Plan, which seeks to improve operational efficiency and profitability, hinges on sustainable collaboration with the private sector,” she said.
