Thursday, 17 Nov 2011
South African freight logistics group Transnet said that it was rolling out a scheduled railway service that would stick to strict timetables, replacing its current system in which trains only depart when they are loaded.
Transnet plays a key role in Africa's largest economy, moving crucial coal exports to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal for movement to growing Asian markets.
Transnet in a statement said that "Given the fact that Transnet Freight Rail is running without much excess capacity, better planning and scheduling tools are needed to effectively manage the scarce resources, in order to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for railway transportation.”
Spokesman Mr Sandile Simelane said the group was aiming to have the schedule in place across the board by the middle of next year but it has launched fixed scheduling for four corridors: Phalaborwa/Maputo & Richards Bay for magnetite, Welgedag/Palmford for Majuba Coal, Uitkyk/Komatiepoort for TCM Coal and Phalaborwa/Richards Bay for rock phosphate.
The current system, known as tonnage-based dispatching, was aimed at minimising the total number of trains needed by maximising their size but Transnet said that “In practice it disrupted the efficient utilisation of crews, locomotives and equipment."
Mr Simelane said the new system would be run like an airline: customers would have to be on time or else the plane would leave without them instead of waiting until it was full.
(Sourced from Thomson Reuters)
South African freight logistics group Transnet said that it was rolling out a scheduled railway service that would stick to strict timetables, replacing its current system in which trains only depart when they are loaded.
Transnet plays a key role in Africa's largest economy, moving crucial coal exports to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal for movement to growing Asian markets.
Transnet in a statement said that "Given the fact that Transnet Freight Rail is running without much excess capacity, better planning and scheduling tools are needed to effectively manage the scarce resources, in order to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for railway transportation.”
Spokesman Mr Sandile Simelane said the group was aiming to have the schedule in place across the board by the middle of next year but it has launched fixed scheduling for four corridors: Phalaborwa/Maputo & Richards Bay for magnetite, Welgedag/Palmford for Majuba Coal, Uitkyk/Komatiepoort for TCM Coal and Phalaborwa/Richards Bay for rock phosphate.
The current system, known as tonnage-based dispatching, was aimed at minimising the total number of trains needed by maximising their size but Transnet said that “In practice it disrupted the efficient utilisation of crews, locomotives and equipment."
Mr Simelane said the new system would be run like an airline: customers would have to be on time or else the plane would leave without them instead of waiting until it was full.
(Sourced from Thomson Reuters)
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