transnet export volumes fall

摘要

South Africa’s state-owned freight firm Transnet’s export coal rail volumes fell by 6.5pc to 72mn t in the year to 31 March. The firm attributed the decline to operational challenges, derailments, community unrest, train cancellations and generally low demand in the first quarter. By comparison, overall freight volumes fell by 4.9pc to 215mn t. On 20 December 2018, a train derailment forced the country’s main coal export port to Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) to be closed in both directions. The line fully re-opened five days later. An average of 1.4mn-1.6mn t/ week of coal is transported to RBCT on Transnet rail lines. “The markets are a reality, they are outside RBCT’s