Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR’s) Cape Corridor has achieved a ten-year record on its Manganese Hotazel–Port Elizabeth export line, achieving 9.8-million tonnes in the 2022/23 financial year.
The entity has more than doubled the corridor’s total capacity, increasing progressively from 4.9-million tonnes in 2012 to 9.7-million tonnes in 2023, it says.
“Working in tandem with our customers to jointly realise expansion efforts, the customers have shown their commitment to growing manganese volumes by boosting the capacity in their facilities to reduce loading times.
“We are working closely with customers for continuous improvement and phased implementation of further growth plans to meet demand,” the entity comments.
It points out that the milestone was enabled through a combination of investment in the rail infrastructure, rolling stock and its employees.
The investment in the capacity expansion enabled TFR to gradually increase its manganese volumes performance through capital expenditure projects; an increase in slot capacity; investments in rolling stock capacity; and an increase in the number of employees.