The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has dispatched an engineer to South Africa to conduct a due diligence study on five U30 mainline locomotives that are to be hired soon.
This is in order to boost the haulage capacity to meet the huge demand expected to be created by the Railway (Transportation of Heavy Goods) Regulation that was recently passed in Zambia by the Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba.
The Authority is further awaiting shareholders’ approval for an Open Access Agreement with a private railway operator that has already started conducting trial runs between Ndola and Dar es Salaam.
Tazara Managing Director Eng. Bruno Ching’andu, says the decision to hire extra locomotives and engage private operators in Open Access is meant to increase capacity to adequately handle the positive response from the market, especially in view of the passing of the Statutory Instrument that compels manufacturers in Zambia to channel 30% of bulky traffic to the railways.
“We are elated by the measures taken by the Zambian Government through the Minister of Transport and Communications and, in this regard, these immediate steps we are taking are meant to assure the public and the business community of our readiness to meet the anticipated demand on our services”, said Eng. Ching’andu.
In August 2017, his institution signed an Open Access Agreement with Zambia Railways Limited and signed an MoU with another private railway operator, Calabash freight Limited, following the go-ahead granted by its shareholders in 2015 allowing the company to engage private operators in order to maximize usage of the line.
“Everything has fallen into place and we are glad to be at the edge of some very positive developments in railway haulage,” said Eng. Chingandu.
This is according to a press statement issued to ZANIS by TAZARA Head of Public Relations Conrad Simuchile in Lusaka today.
Twalya again
why send one engineer fro such a big organization?
Vote EL
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Just buy ’em please! Not hiring!
At times hiring is more economical
Hire me as well,am very gud in stock rolling with 3years experience in rail sector.
If this was ZRL we would have already heard that its a done deal and locomotives are coming from China man at 10 times the price..Minister of Transport the dull brick called Brian has signed!!
Due deligence! Lol .kulibe news muchalo? Okay write this story now.
A big man has employed a zambian n his been send for training to Bostwana. This will be the first zambian to go to Bostwana for training, the mine PA said! Perfect news!
we are probably going to hire the locomotives that SA purchased from Italy – the ones that are too tall to be used on the railway lines in south africa. The ones that SA bought through dodgy dealings. The ones that were bought for 20 times the price and are now sitting gathering dust in the train station.
Those are not U30s and were not bought from Italy. In any case due diligence should look into issues of size.
120 us dollars ero bond allocated to ZR . where did it go? such that ZR can not partner with TAZARA to move cango efficiently in southern africa
I’ve noticed that there are too many railway accidents in the USA. Are also copying from our own Zambia Railways?
@2.1 NOT IF YOU ARE HIRING TO HIRE AGAIN AND AGAIN. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE HIRING TO COME AND PHOTOCOPY AND REDESIGN WITH A FEW IMPROVEMENTS, THAT WOULD BE A VERY CHEAP AND PROFITABLE VENTURE.CHINA AND JAPAN BOUGHT A CAPITAL MACHINERY FROM EACH CATEGORY AND NEVER BOUGHT THE SAME THING AGAIN. THEY STARTED DESIGNING AND MANUFACTURING THE SAME ITEMS WITH MODIFICATIONS. BY THE WAY, ARE WE HIRING IYA MALASHA OLO IYA ZESCO?
NSHI BELENGELE STORY. THE MORE INTERESTING STORY NOW IS THE RELAUNCHING OF QZ. THE GOVERNMENT IS SPOT-ON ON THIS ONE.