Rail transport of high-value cargo to Richards Bay, Durban and Dar-es-Salaam has become very competitive, says Chris Chipimo, operations director of Bridge Shipping in Ndola, Zambia. “Around 80% of exports of copper now go by rail – either containerised or in covered wagons,” he explains. “This is a 180 degree shift, as previously about 80% of the cargo travelled by road. The high-value copper concentrate, anodes and blisters have been shifted from road to rail both for security reasons and because the rail links have improved.
Cargo shipped from the mines in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo in open rail wagons is transhipped from open to covered wagons and containers at the secure Bridge Shipping yard in Ndola. In addition to the standard 24-hour armed security, the compound also houses police quarters. Bridge Shipping is one of the companies helping to start up the export of manganese from the Copperbelt via road and rail. Because manganese ore has a relatively low value, it is not a target for theft and many truckers prefer to carry it, says Chipimo. However, because it is a low-cost commodity, there is extreme pressure on the cost of transport. Until world prices rise, the region is not expected to become a major supplier of manganese as it cannot compete against mines with more cost-effective links to the sea.

Original article [Railways Africa]