Sustainability Report 2012 - Transnet

Economic dividends (continued)“We have a very good relationship withFreight Rail, and 2011 went exceptionallywell with Kumba railing 39,1 million tons tothe port, which was a 7% increase from theprevious year.”Gert SchoemanKumba Iron Ore spokesperson7 April 2012EXPORT IRON OREINCREASE 13,2%TO 52,3 MTIN 2011/1274,0% INCREASE SINCE2006/07“Three years ago, we could not deliver amillion tons per week.”Siyabonga GamaChief Executive: Transnet Freight Rail44 NEW CLASS 15ELOCOMOTIVESIN OPERATION BYSEPTEMBER 2011Export iron oreThe iron ore line continued to perform exceptionally wellthroughout 2011/12 with 52,3mt being recorded for 2011/12compared to 46,2mt in 2010/11 exceeding the budget by 0,7mt.Consistent positive performance over the past few years hastranslated into a 74,0% increase compared to 2006/07 –evidence of Freight Rail’s ability to meet market demandconsistently and reliably.Locomotive efficiency was recorded at an average of43,1 million GTK per loco per month for the 2011/12 yearreflecting an improvement of 10,9% compared to the prior year.The focus will be placed on the use of the Plato planning tool toimprove locomotive utilisation even further.The average deviation from the on-time departure and arrivalschedules for the 2011/12 year were well below budget, which isa good reflection of the positive impact the Scheduled Railwaystrategy is having on the business.Both locomotive availability and reliability has improvedsignificantly as a result of improved maintenance practices.Wagon availability and reliability has once again been sustainedat better than benchmark levels.To date, two expansion programmes to 41,0mt and 47,0mtrespectively have been completed on the iron ore line and theexpansion to a total capacity of 62,3mt neared completionduring the year. The project entailed the construction of a32,5km railway line connecting the new Kumba Kolomela iron oremine at Postmasburg (Sishen South) with the existing linebetween Sishen and Saldanha.In order to meet the ramp up to 62,3mt, an additional 32 Class15E locomotives were purchased to supplement the 44 Class15E locomotives previously supplied. This will result in astandardisation of the iron ore locomotive fleet with a moresimplified maintenance and operating methodology allowing forimproved efficiencies going forward. In addition, significantenergy cost savings will result due to the electricity regenerationcapabilities of the Class 15E locomotives and the phasing out ofdiesel locomotives. Transnet is working closely with the industryto expand the line from 62,3mt to 82mt over the medium-term.30