On July 14, 2016, Transnet completed the first phase of the expansion of the coal line between the Waterberg in Limpopo and Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal.
The project entailed the construction of a 1,8 km long passing loop at Matlabas, enabling 100-wagon trains to cross without disrupting the operation of other trains on the line. The investment has resulted in a significant increase in rail capacity, improved operational efficiencies and faster turnaround times.
Rail capacity between Lephalale in the Limpopo Province and Richards Bay Coal Terminal has increased from 400 000 tons to 2 million tons of coal per annum since the completion of the project.
In addition, the loop has enabled Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to increase its services from 2 trains to 5 a week, consistently without requiring more wagons. This improvement creates a high potential to run one train a day. Previously, Matlabas loop could only accommodated 50-wagon trains.
The project is a key aspect of Transnet’s plans to spend R21,8 billion (USD 1.5 billion) over the next seven years increasing rail capacity on the export coal line to 81 million tons.
The construction of the Matlabas loop is the first of five phases to increase capacity on the Waterberg line.
Construction of the second stage has begun and is expected to increase the current 2 million tons of coal from Lephalale to Richards Bay, to 6 million tons per annum. The second stage consists in the construction of a 2,8 km loop at Thabazimbi, building a new 5 km line to connect the loops at Bleskop and Norite, creating a double line section; and building a new 7 km line to connect the loops at Dam and Onderstepoort creating another double line section.
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