Transnet completes 95 electric locomotives

State-run rail and logistics company Transnet has manufactured a batch of 95 electric locomotives at its engineering facilities at Koedoespoort, Pretoria, as part of its R300bn investment in SA's ports and rail network.

The locomotives are a milestone in the company's plans to increase its freight volumes to 350-million tonnes in seven years, from 210m tonnes a year.

Transnet acquired the 95 locomotives from China South Rail (CSR) Zhuzhou and they were to be built at Koedoespoort in terms of an agreement concluded in 2012. Only 10 of the locomotives were built in China and Transnet sent 190 staff there for training.

President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday, 19 March, that the locomotives were "a significant step towards Transnet's long-term goal of developing Transnet Engineering into an original equipment manufacturer".

Last year, Transnet also signed a memorandum of understanding with CSR to set up manufacturing facilities in SA and exploit opportunities for business elsewhere on the continent. CSR Zhuzhou was one of four manufacturers awarded a R50bn contract to build 1,064 locomotives. The other three were Germany's Bombardier Transportation, China CNR Corporation, and the US's General Electric.

According to Transnet, all but 70 of the locomotives will be built at its plants in Koedoespoort and Durban. Earlier this month, Transnet announced that it had secured R6bn in funding guarantees from the Export-Import Bank of the US for the diesel locomotives it is acquiring from General Electric.

Transnet CEO Brian Molefe said yesterday that the company was in talks on a similar deal with China Development Bank. Transnet Freight Rail has already deployed 85 of the new locomotives on the manganese line to Port Elizabeth and the iron ore line between Sishen and ArcelorMittal's plants in Newcastle and Biljkor.

Source: Business Day