Tuesday, March 19, 2024

China’s soft loan to enable TAZARA get locomotives and wagons

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Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA) will this year in November receive six locomotives and 90 copper wagons through a soft loan it obtained from China.

And TAZARA has ordered 1000 metric tonnes of special cement to manufacture rail sleepers to replace old ones along the TAZARA rail line.

In an interview with ZANIS in Kapiri Mposhi in Central Province yesterday, TAZARA Regional Manager, Masiliso Sinonge said once received the locomotives will improve the operations of the rail company boosting its haulage capacity of cargo.

Mr. Sinonge said the six new engines will greatly complement the current 11 that the company already operates.

He said TAZARA needs 24 locomotives for it to work efficiently and to meet the demand for haulage of cargo and passengers to and from Dar- Es-
Salaam.

Currently, Mr. Sinonge said TAZARA is facing challenges in hauling cargo which mostly comprise mining products such as copper and manganese to the port of Dar Es Salaam because it does not have enough trains.

He disclosed that the company is losing out on revenue from the huge demand of rail transport in the region.

Mr. Sinonge further said TAZARA has potential to haul over five million metric tonnes of cargo annually but is currently only managing to transport less than two percent.

He said last year the rail company only managed to transport about 460 000 metric tonnes of cargo.

“TAZARA plays a major economic role to Zambia, we are looking at ways to improve the capacity of TAZARA through restocking both its locomotives and wagons and repairing old ones so that we harness the growing demand of rail transport in Zambia mostly by the mining sector,” Mr. Sinonge said.

He said TAZARA will maintain and replace damaged sleepers along the rail line which links Zambia to the sea port at Dar- Es- Salaam in Tanzania.

We plan to work on the rail line by replacing rail sleepers with new ones so that it accommodates the anticipated increased loads and usage of the line.

Meanwhile, TAZARA has entered into partnership with Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) to jointly ferry cargo on its rail to Dar -Es -Salaam in order to meet increased demand by Zambian mines for rail transport.

In the partnership, RSZ will be engaged to assist in ferrying the cargo by TAZARA because of the shortage in the number of locomotives at TAZARA to transport cargo.

“We have overwhelming demand but we don’t have enough trains to haul all or most of the copper and manganese to Dar- Es-Salaam, so we have entered into partnership with RSZ for them to supplement on the number of locomotives for the same business on our rail line,” Mr. Sinonge said.

Mr. Sinonge said the partnership aims at profiting from the increased demand of rail transport in the mining sector.

ZANIS

9 COMMENTS

  1. We may need to know how much money has been given to Zambia in the name of soft loans. Otherwise, we may go back to the HIPC ordeal in future.Capital injection in any company is good but with the likes of people like Aka at the helm of TAZARA, the monies might just go to waste.

  2. loans are necessary as long as are sustainable.USA owe China more than $2 trillion.improved rail transport will provide much needed relief in the road sector of the country.TAZARA is a company that makes profit so they must be able to repay loans.It is not government’s responsibility to repay that loan.If they default simply liquidate.Go for that and improve your business TAZARA u are losing out on business opportunity to ferry cargo to the port.Cheers!

  3. We simply cann’t develope with this kind of capacity limitation on our transport system. Honestly not when we are operating at 2% capacity. We need serious investment in this sector.

  4. Is that what we call development ? Why should we get old locomotive engines which have been phsed out by the Chinese ? Why cant china extend to Zambia it’s modern Railway technology systems other than turning our country into a dumping site for their outdated engines all in the name of loans ? Ma rubbish bati iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

  5. TAZARA SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE GET AWAY TO INDIAN OCEAN. I USED TO ENJOY THE TRAIN RIDE FROM KAPIRI TO DAR, THE COUNTRYSIDE, VILLAGE CHICKEN PA MPIKA, BOOZE THROUGHTOUT MU TRAIN UP TO DAR. VERY GOOD MEALS ON THE TRAIN ESPECIALLY IF DONE BY TANZANIAN CREW. WE USED TO STAY AT KEYS HOTEL IN KARIAKO AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED TO SEE A TANZANIAN HOSTESS WHO WAS ATTENDING TO YOU ON THE TRAIN COME TO THE HOTEL TO VISIT ONE OF THE SWEETTALK ZAMBIAN MEN. IT WOULD NOT BE A SHOCK IF A ZAMBIAN GUY SPENDS ALL HIS CASH ON BEAUTIFUL TZ WOMEN AND FAILS TO CLEAR HIS VEHICLE FROM THE PORT OR INDEED FAILS TO BUY FUEL FOR HIS VEHICLE FOR THE TRIP BACK HOME. GOOD OLD TAZARA A LOT OF NOLSTALGIA

  6. Nothing is happening then? There is no investment coming from interest earned, and the companies are not breaking even.

    This is pathetic. How can growth or expansions take place based only on loans, and more huge loans? This is not even maintenance of business, it is offering service at a loss.

    Oh well!

  7. You are all useless. buying copper wagons from china yet we export copper to china. come guys.this is the problem with african countries.why not buy one wagon and re engineer in like chines do and produce many of them. they don’t have time for Research and development.
    May God help us.even after employng qualified engineers.

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