Transnet closes Richards Bay line

Railway operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) announced on Monday (13 May) that the coal export line to Richards Bay will be closed down for 12 days from 14 to 25 May for routine maintenance work.

The line is shut down every year in May to enable TFR to "catch up" on maintenance and replace old‚ obsolete and problematic infrastructure as part of sustainability of the business. It also plans to accelerate the major capital expansion and upgrading projects in line with the expected volume growth on the line as part of the company's market demand strategy.

TFR said the closure is necessary because there are sections on the coal line where infrastructure work cannot be carried out while the service is operating.

"For example‚ at Overvaal (a single line portion of the line) critical maintenance and refurbishment work needs to be done. At Ermelo, work needs to be done on the train yard," TFR said.

It said the shutdown would boost the infrastructure construction programme that will see coal volumes increase to 81m tons a year. Last year, TFR carried 69.2m tons of export coal on the line.