Upgraded rail infrasturucture benefits Copperbelt cargo

MSC Zambia has successfully moved containers by rail from the Copperbelt to stacking in the port of Durban. “Investments by Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) are paying off and there is now a great link between the Copperbelt and Durban,” Mesele Seyuba, director of MSC’s Lusaka office, told FTW. Rail, he says, is proving to be a “hard sell” to forwarders due to its virtual disappearance from the logistics mix until recently when it was reintroduced. ZRL has, however, been investing heavily in upgrading the rail infrastructure over the past few years. The opening of the Chipata- Mchinji railway link provides connectivity into the Malawi railway network and further connects Zambia to the northern Mozambique railway network. This opens up new and exciting opportunities for the private sector in Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, according to the Zambia Development Agency. According to Seyuba, shippers can save on insurance and handling when using containers for copper. “The cargo is handled once – when it is packed into the container at place of receipt in Zambia. When it arrives in Durban it goes directly into the stack for vessels,” he says. There are also savings on demurrage as MSC provides a through bill of lading service. Rail transit time is between 11 and 15 days on average. Having wagons then heading north also provides an opportunity for shippers to enjoy cheaper inland transit costs by using rail for imports from Durban into Zambia, he adds. Containers no longer need to be destuffed for cargo to be transferred onto low-bed trailers in order to optimise the on-road carrying capacity. “We look forward to seeing forwarders changing the way they handle imports and exports sooner rather than later,” he says. Rail is also being used successfully between Beira and Harare, where containers are being transhipped onto road trailers. “The only downside is a slight increase in transit time. It takes around eight days from the port to delivery ex Beira using this mixed mode intermodal solution” he says. INSERT & CAPTION Shippers can save on insurance and handling when using containers for copper. – Mesele Seyuba