Engineering News | Transport | Logistics

https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Advertise on this page? Click Here to Learn More

Transport News

Rail constraints costing South African miners billions of rands in lost exports

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 3rd August 2022 Despite bulk mineral exports being State-owned Transnet’s single biggest client base, South Africa is unable to access the full benefits of minerals exports, Minerals Council South Africa CEO Roger Baxter told delegates attending the first day of the South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA)... →

US company developing innovative Wing-In-Ground-Effect craft using Siemens software

By: Rebecca Campbell 3rd August 2022 US company REGENT, which is developing a zero-carbon wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) vehicle, has adopted the Xcelerator cloud-based software and services portfolio from Siemens Digital Industries Software. This software portfolio is used for the design, engineering and development of the WIG... →

Photo by REGENT
Artist’s impression of a Viceroy WIG craft in flight

TNPA appoints Sphiwe Mthembu as East London port manager

By: Schalk Burger 3rd August 2022 State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed Sphiwe Mthembu as East London port manager, with effect from August 1. He will be responsible for leading the port, which is South Africa’s premier hub port enabling and facilitating trade between South Africa and the world, in... →

Integrated, tech-driven rail industry needed to drive South Africa’s heavy haul sector

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 2nd August 2022 To enable South Africa’s mining and resources sector to remain competitive, it is imperative the country pursues a safe, competitive, responsible, integrated and intelligent heavy haul system, powered by rail 4.0, by 2030. This was emphasised by industry organisation the South African Heavy Haul... →

A Transnet Freight Rail train transporting iron-ore

Transnet CE Portia Derby outlines Transnet’s targets for commodities

PRASA to run charter train for Comrades Marathon

By: Schalk Burger 2nd August 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has announced that its Shosholoza Meyl services will run a special charter train from Johannesburg to Pietermaritzburg and Durban for the Comrades Marathon on August 26 to 29, offering two packages for luxury and budget travellers. The charter... →

Tshepo Mahanuke appointed JRA CEO

By: Schalk Burger 2nd August 2022 The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) has appointed Dr Tshepo Mahanuke as Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) CEO, and will usher in a service delivery ethos, said CoJ Transport MMC Funzi Ngobeni. Mahanuke will be tasked with ensuring the city’s roads network is fit-for-purpose through proactive repairs and... →

JRA CEO Dr Tshepo Mahanuke and CoJ Transport MMC Funzi Ngobeni.

Post Office reports healthy uptake of online car licence renewal facility

By: Darren Parker 2nd August 2022 The South African Post Office reports that there has been a “healthy” uptake of its online motor vehicle licence renewal facility, which was launched at the end of January. More than 37 000 vehicle licences have thus far been renewed nationally through the system since then – most of them in... →

Delta announces non-stop Cape Town to Atlanta and boost South African network

By: Schalk Burger 1st August 2022 US airline Delta is adding a nonstop flight from Cape Town to Atlanta from December 18, to complement its existing service between Johannesburg and Atlanta, and the new flight will operate three times a week and provide more than 200 onward connections across the US and beyond. Delta’s new Cape... →

Port Elizabeth Car Terminal breaks monthly volumes record

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st August 2022 The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal has broken its own record by handling 24 142 fully built units in July, the highest ever in the history of the terminal and 93% above the planned monthly budget. While the terminal was in the middle of a capacity creation project that was unlocking its ability to... →

Port Elizabeth Car Terminal

United Airlines gets OK from US authorities for new Washington DC – Cape Town route

By: Rebecca Campbell 1st August 2022 Major US carrier United Airlines has been granted official US permission to operate three direct flights a week between the US capital, Washington DC, and Cape Town in South Africa. Provided that the South African government agrees, the new route will start operating on November 17 this year. “We... →

Airlink announces new service between Cape Town and Maputo

By: Rebecca Campbell 1st August 2022 South African regional airline Airlink has announced that it will start direct flights between Cape Town in South Africa and Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, on August 31. This will be the first direct air service between the two cities. “Airlink is responding to the call of the travelling... →

Sanral upgrading the N2 from KwaMashu to Umdloti

By: Schalk Burger 29th July 2022 Traffic on the N2 between the KwaMashu interchange and Umdloti bridge will be disrupted over the next two months to bring in and place concrete barriers alongside the median to protect workers building a median barrier wall and additional lanes, the South African National Roads Agency Limited... →

Volkswagen tops used-car sales survey

29th July 2022 According to a report carried out over six months by used car sales and buying service WeBuyCars, German motor vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen ranked as South Africa’s most sought-after used car brand among buyers between October 2021 and April 2022. The report released in May, was conducted on... →

A new white VW Polo being driven through a scenic area

MARCO POLO The most sought after second hand vehicle over a six month period was the VW Polo according to WeBuyCars research

Auto centre lauds R9.1bn injection into Eastern Cape ports

By: Irma Venter 29th July 2022 The Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC EC) says it applauds Transnet National Port Authority’s (TNPA’s) announcement that it will inject R9.1-billion into its three Eastern Cape ports over the next seven years. AIDC EC CEO Thabo Shenxane says the centre, as well as other... →

Cape Town pursues reinstatement of joint rail enforcement unit

By: Irma Venter 29th July 2022 The City of Cape Town says it is keen to help revive the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) rail enforcement unit (REU), which operated as a three-way government partnership between October 2018 and July 2020. The REU was launched by then Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande at a cost... →

Rail revitalisation needed

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 Revitalising South Africa’s rail infrastructure is necessary to ensure that it is a reliable, available, competitive and efficient mode of transport, allowing users to capitalise on the sector’s being safer, more reliable and low carbon emitting, says rolling stock manufacturing company Alstom... →

ON A ROLL Alstom assists its rail clients aiming to upgrade or refurbish their rolling stock by understanding their requirements and ensuring that they get maximum life out of all assets

Gibela unveils its one-hundredth train set

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 Earlier this month, train manufacturer Gibela celebrated the high-profile handover ceremony of its one-hundredth train set to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) in Dunnottar, Ekurhuleni. The event was attended by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, Gauteng Premier David Makhura,... →

An image depicting Irene Charnley, Leonard Ramatlakane, David Makhura, Fikile Mbalula and other dignitaries in the transport and rail industries standing in front of the one-hundredth PRASA train

Gibela chairperson Irene Charnley, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane and Gauteng Premier David Makhura address media and dignitaries during the celebration of the one-hundredth X'trapolis Mega train

Industry body partners with department

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 The African Rail Industry Association (ARIA) is working together with the Department of Transport (DoT) and other bodies to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will formally recognise ARIA as its official partner in advocacy on behalf of the rail industry. The association currently has... →

An image depicting a smiling woman, Mesela Nhlapo, wearing a yellow and red top and standing with her arms folded

Photo by Adele D Photography
MESELA NHLAPO Intra-Africa trade needs to be established, with rail infrastructure being critical in enabling this process, which will require the manufacture of rail rolling stock

S Africa hampered by rolling stock challenges

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 South Africa is facing challenges regarding its rolling stock, owing to rail networks being vandalised during Covid-19 lockdowns, and this will be costly to repair, says consultant and supplier of new and used locomotives African Railway Systems COO Dylan Knott. The shortage of locomotives and... →

UNILOK E55S African Railway Systems is an agent for the supply of the purpose-built unique Unilok shunting locomotive

Association to host conference

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 The South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA) is hosting its conference from August 2 to 4 at Emperor’s Palace, in Kempton Park, Gauteng. This year’s conference theme: ‘Safe, resilient and efficient heavy haul’, was prompted by the challenges the rail network system is facing. These challenges... →

An image depicting a smiling man, Brian Monakali, wearing a dark blue suit and white shirt

BRIAN MONAKALI This year’s conference will cover topics such as human capital, strategic matters, loading, offloading, shipping, infrastructure and rolling stock

Drive systems delivery in process

By: Halima Frost 29th July 2022 Drive component manufacturer SEW-EURODRIVE’s Gqeberha branch, in the Eastern Cape, is in the process of delivering drive systems that form part of a major project to an automotive machine builder, also in Gqeberha. These drive systems are part of an order the machine builder is supplying to its... →

A K series drive on offer from SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa

DRIVING GROWTH The SEW-EURODRIVE drive systems will be used on a new electro-coating facility at an automotive manufacturer in Mexico

Q1 recovery exceeds expectations – industry body

29th July 2022 The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa | The Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) states in its ‘Quarterly review of business conditions: new motor vehicle manufacturing industry / automotive sector first quarter 2022 report’ that the pace of recovery in the... →

A vehicle in the manufacturing process hoisted up on a lift with a worker stood under the chassis

LIFTING IT UP The new vehicle market has outperformed expectations according to industry body Naamsa

Retailer’s last-mile deliveries to be made by solar-charged electric panel vans

By: Irma Venter 29th July 2022 Retailer Woolworths in June announced that it will start rolling out electric panel vans (EPVs) in partnership with logistics group DSV and mobility specialist Everlectric to deliver its customers’ online purchases in Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban. This follows a ten-month trail period during... →

Airbus reports 'solid' results for the first half of this year

By: Rebecca Campbell 28th July 2022 Europe-based global major aerospace and defence group Airbus announced its results for the first half of this year (1H22) on Wednesday. It did not release any quarterly results at the same time. It recorded revenues of €24.81-billion, a 1% increase over the €24.637-billion achieved during the... →

Photo by Airbus
An Airbus A330neo widebody airliner

John Deere brings redesigned ADT to South African shores

By: Donna Slater 28th July 2022 Heavy equipment manufacturer John Deere’s South African branch, having been in the country for 140 years, launched its redesigned 41.8 t, 460 series articulated dump truck (ADT) to the domestic market on July 26. Aimed primarily at the mining industry, the 460E-II series has been redesigned to... →

An image of John Deere's 460E-II series articulated dump truck

John Deere's newly redesigned 460E-II series articulated dump truck can carry more, is easier to operate and service, and has reliability improvements.

Boeing releases first half results and reports that momentum is building in its turnaround

By: Rebecca Campbell 28th July 2022 Giant US-based global aerospace and defence group Boeing released its results for both the first half (1H22) and the second quarter of 2022 (2Q22) on Wednesday. For 1H22 it accrued revenues of $30.672-billion – a 5% decline in comparison to the figure of $32.215-billion for the first half of 2021... →

Photo by Boeing
A Boeing 737 MAX 10

Transnet to issue big locomotive tender in August as it clears legal hurdles

By: Terence Creamer 27th July 2022 State-owned freight logistics group Transnet intends launching its much-anticipated tender for new locomotives in August having recorded a 5.6% drop in rail volumes last year as a result of a combination of locomotive shortages and serious operational and security problems. The group lost a total... →

Transnet CEO Portia Derby

Logistics, fintech combine to address Africa’s transport challenges

By: Darren Parker 26th July 2022 Financial institution Standard Bank has attributed the success of its recent direct minority equity investment into technology-enabled logistics solution Tripplo to its ability as a large, established corporate to work effectively with small, agile start-ups. The bank says this is the key to... →

IATA welcomes intergovernmental agency’s support for long-term net-zero carbon aviation

By: Rebecca Campbell 26th July 2022 The outcome of the recent International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) High Level Meeting (in preparation for the United Nations specialised agency’s forty-first Assembly, to be held later this year), regarding net-zero carbon aviation, has been welcomed by the International Air Transport... →

YFPO plant in Rosslyn to be completed by May 2023

By: Darren Parker 26th July 2022 Automotive components and trims manufacturer YFPO’s new 25 000 m2 manufacturing facility in Rosslyn, Tshwane, will be finished by May next year, Rosslyn Hub Development Company director Brendan Falkson has told Engineering News. Earthworks for the project started in early July. →

Photo by Creamer Media
The sod-turning ceremony on July 25 marked the start of the YFPO plant's construction

TNPA eyes procurement of up to 80 MW of renewable energy for its ports

By: Donna Slater 26th July 2022 State-owned national ports operator Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has issued a request for information (RFI) to the private sector as it intends to procure between 50 MW and 80 MW of renewable energy across its eight commercial seaports – Richards Bay, Durban, Saldanha, Cape Town, Port... →

PRASA gears up to open sections of the Western Cape’s Central line

By: Irma Venter 25th July 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) will start trial operations on the Cape Town to Langa via Mutual station route, the Cape Town to Langa via Pinelands station route, and the Bellville to Ysterplaat via Lavistown station route, on the Central line corridor in the Western Cape, on... →

Image of PRASA's new trains the X'strapolis

TUT team wins South Africa’s first closed-track solar vehicle challenge

By: Darren Parker 22nd July 2022 The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Solar Team were declared the winners of the first ever Ilanga Cup Solar Challenge, which took place at the 4.2-km-long Red Star Raceway, in Delmas, on July 21. “We would like to congratulate the TUT Solar Team for winning the first event of the Ilanga... →

Tshwane University of Technology Solar Team and their winning solar vehicle

Tshwane University of Technology Solar Team and their winning Sunchaser IV solar vehicle

Joburg MMC calls for interdepartmental issues affecting road works to be resolved

By: Schalk Burger 22nd July 2022 City of Johannesburg Transport MMC Funzi Ngobeni has called for interdepartmental issues affecting the Johannesburg Roads Agency's (JRA's) road maintenance to be addressed urgently. "JRA teams are often unable to do road repair work because of water on the road surface owing to pipe bursts,... →

Grindrod appoints Xolani Mbambo as new CEO

By: Irma Venter 22nd July 2022 Grindrod has announced that Xolani Mbambo is to succeed Andrew Waller as CEO from January 1, next year. Waller is set to retire. →

Xolani Mbambo

Transnet to invest R16.1bn in Cape Town, Mossel Bay and Saldanha ports

By: Irma Venter 22nd July 2022 Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) will invest R16.1-billion at the Mossel Bay, Saldanha and Cape Town ports in a seven-year capital investment programme. The capital investment programme will see R2.2-billion flow to the Port of Mossel Bay, R8.4-billion to the Saldanha harbour and... →

PRASA working to restore three Gauteng rail corridors before year-end

By: Schalk Burger 21st July 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is rebuilding and recovering five high-priority commuter rail corridors, three of which, in Gauteng, will reopen before the end of the year. These are in addition to five lines that are already operational. →

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

About

Engineering News is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa
Polity

Newsletters

Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter

Receive daily sector news alerts

More

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Engineering News is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Subscribe