Rail link to Port Elizabeth port damaged by rough seas
Transnet Freight Rail's (TFR's) rail link into the Port of Port Elizabeth has been heavily damaged by rough sea conditions that caused a wash-away of the track formation on September 16.
This is impacting on the transport of manganese to the port for export, as train movements have been temporarily suspended.
TFR is exploring other contingencies, including using the Port Elizabeth station as a bypass into and out of the port, although such a method will result in a reduced operation. The adverse sea conditions have also not yet fully subsided, it said in a September 18 update to market.
The rail link branches from the mainline into the Algoa Bay Yard, where trains are received and dispatched. Rough seas brought on by abnormal spring tides have washed away parts of the railway for approximately 500 m and pushed large rocks, debris and sand onto the track for about 1 km.
A recovery team has been dispatched to begin repair work and to clear the debris in inaccessible areas.
Major repairs will be conducted during the coming week, dependent on favourable weather conditions. TFR will continue to monitor the weather forecast to ensure the safety of its teams working on the recovery.
Normal operations will resume after the line has been repaired and declared safe for train movement, TFR said.
"Customers have been notified about the extent of the infrastructure damage and the resultant impact on operations. Regular updates will be provided by our customer services department."
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation