TFR ups ante on mine to port deliveries

[miningmx.com] — TRANSNET Freight Rail (TFR), a division of Transnet SOC, is to ask mining companies to share the onus for higher improved deliveries of trains by implementing the first stage of its scheduled railway services.

In essence, TFR is moving towards a system when trains will arrive and depart from loading sidings at specified times. The implication is that if wagons are not fully loaded by customers, the trains will depart anyway.

Under the current system, trains leave sidings when sufficient volume is deemed to have been loaded. Termed by TFR as ‘tonnage based dispatching’, the system attempts to reduce the amount of trains on the line by maximising the volume carried. However, this disrupts the efficient use of crews, locomotives and equipment, TFR said.

“It … yielded inconsistent transit times, making delivery service less reliable at a time when our customers need better service to complete in their own markets,” said Siyabong Gama, CEO of TFR at the launch of the new system.

In contrast, train scheduling will be implemented along four lines initially representing total volume of some 19 million tonnes annually (Mtpa). Total adoption of the system is expected by the middle of 2012, said Gama.

“This initiative will build on the efficiency improvements that have been brought about by deploying the new EMD and GE diesel locomotives, working in partnership with our key customers and supply chain partners,” Gama said.

TFR has since implementing a 20-day shutdown in May and June, gradually improved the tempo of its trains delivery. Annualised deliveries of coal to Richards Bay from Mpumalanga province, for instance, are now running at an annualised rate for this year at nearly 65Mt. Although lower than the 70Mt promised by TFR at the end of last year, it nonetheless represents a massive improvement.

Sluggish coal sales at Richards Bay, and improved TFR deliveries have resulted in stockpiles rising at the port to just below 5Mt.

Battle-ready

The fixed scheduling will be launched on certain areas in the North East and Eastern Corridors initially: namely, the Phalaborwa/Maputo and Richards Bay for magnetite; Welgedag/Palmford for Majuba Coal; Uitkyk/Komatiepoort for TCM Coal; and Phalaborwa/Richards Bay for rock phoshpate.

This represents about 20% of all general freight business, said Gama who then said TFR employees were ‘battle-ready’ to implement the system. “Our people are battle-ready to do whatever it takes to stick to our scheduled timing,” he said.

What this means for TFR operators is that they will be able to know a month in advance where they are driving trains and when, said Gama.

“If we deliver on time then perhaps we will be able to deliver more tonnes,” said Gama who added that it cost lower Eskom’s costs if it migrated more tonnes to rail from road transport. “We want to delight our customers,” said Gama.