ASANDE DHLAMINI
Johannesburg - Plans are afoot to fast-track the movement of goods between South Africa, eSwatini and Mozambique with the elimination of borders where they travel in the different countries.
Mozambique Ports and Railways (CFM) announced an express train that would facilitate the mobility of people and goods between the Port of Maputo and South Africa and eSwatini.
This initiative came after an agreement between (CFM) and South Africa's Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), signed on July 1, 2022, to eliminate the rail border.
TFR, with CFM, piloted a model, if successful, would see exports of chrome and ferrochrome from Steelpoort in the Limpopo province direct to the Maputo Port in Mozambique.
Sizakele Mzimela, CEO of Transnet Freight Rails, stated that the agreement was to the advantage of South Africa, where customers were looking for different ways to get their products to ports.
The deal would open up opportunities for customers to ferry cargo, especially ores and mining products, to the Port of Maputo.
“The new model will see consignments of 50 chrome and ferrochrome wagon loads being hauled by two (2) 43D diesel locomotives from Belfast straight through to the Port of Maputo.
“The current operating model involves four (4) diesel locomotives hauling 50 wagons from Steelpoort to Belfast.
“From Belfast the wagons are exchanged for four electric locomotives and then travel to Komatiepoort where they are hauled by two CFM diesel locomotives to the Maputo Port,” said Mzimela.
The agreement stated trains utilized by TFR and CFM would cross the border at Mozambique (Ressano Garcia) without limitation or changing transit locomotives in both directions, more specifically freight trains avoiding transporting delays between countries.
Not changing locomotives would decrease the time, cutting the transit time by nine hours and decreasing crew requirements to three, offering Mozambique, eSwatini and South Africa a more efficient economic logistics solution.
According to Further Africa, Minister of Transport and Communications Mateus Magala said the agreement went far beyond a simple alliance but represented an adjustment in which co-operation would improve the corridor’s competitiveness.
“Our railway operator (CFM) will start to take long-distance trains into South African territory.
“We are witnessing another step to true regional integration,” the minister said.
According to the Club of Mozambique, chairman of the board of directors of CFM, Miguel Matabel, emphasised the increase in the number of trains could potentially reduce the amount of cargo currently transported by road via the N4.
The volume of coal transported is expected to increase from 3 600 tonnes to 7 200 tonnes per day.
In the initial phase, the Maputo Corridor will have 21 trains per week carrying chrome and ferrochrome to the port of Maputo – compared to the current 15 per week.
Matabel said the start of trains running in both directions would decrease operating costs and enhance cargo flow at the Port of Maputo.
“CFM’s mission has been to develop the rail and port system to render it modern, efficient, competitive and market-oriented, which is what this project is about.”