Turkish company loads record 50 000 tons of coal in Durban

It was a case of re-writing the record books when
the Greek bulk vessel Amemptos tied up at a number 4 berth on Durban's Bluff during late February.
The 66 000 dwt bulker had called in Durban to load the single largest load of coal ever taken on at the Bluff Mechanical Appliances (BMA) - 50 000 tons! This not only easily beat the previous record total of 42 000 tons but was also one of the largest single loads of any commodity undertaken within the Port of Durban.
Sumo Collieries are shipping the export coal, with Tall Ships acting as ships agents and logistics co-ordinator for the mammoth shipment. This meant arranging 32 trainloads using approximately 1200 rail wagons to move the load to Durban within the short time available. BMA operates on a just-in-time principle because of very limited storage facilities, requiring train loads arriving continually for immediate loading.
Sumo, a wholly Turkish-owned mining company, owns and operates two coal mines in Mpumalanga Province. One outside Belfast produces steam coal while the other mines anthracite near Piet Retief.
Tamer Hizal, managing director of Sumo Collieries told FTW that his company anticipated shipping over
600 000 tons of coal through the BMA this year. Last year we managed 424 000 tons, but we'll easily break that figure during 1998. Until March 1997 we were using Maputo but we've found it more efficient through Durban and volumes have been able to grow, he said. Sumo has now become BMA's largest client, eclipsing even Iscor.
Hizal says his company will continue using Maputo for exports of undersized coal but all sized coal shipments will in future go through the BMA, which last year handled 1 629 million tons of coal.
By Terry H utson