TFR concludes ten-day maintenance programme on Sishen-Saldanha line

25th November 2022 By: Marleny Arnoldi - Deputy Editor Online

Rail operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has successfully completed a ten-day maintenance plan on its Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore corridor.

The maintenance involved electrical, perway and technical support works from November 8 to 17, where the main deliverable was to restore the rail network to its full design capacity.

TFR reports that the corridor attained 102% of planned production targets with zero safety injuries, resulting in no lost time.

“Maintenance of this nature is a critical element of providing a quality service, considering that over 1.3-billion tons of iron-ore have been exported through the Port of Saldanha since inception.

“This will certainly support the company in running a reliable and efficient operation and inspire customer confidence,” TFR states.

The Sishen-Saldanha line was built in 1976 by iron and steel parastatal Iscor, and transferred to TFR in 1977.

The ore corridor boasts the longest production train in the world and has also been accommodating manganese exports since 2014.