Rail

Rail transport accounts for less than 20% of Arica’s land freight volumes, which is exceptionally low, given the importance of Africa’s mineral exports.

Africa is currently experiencing an unprecedented economic recovery, with strong growth projections over the next three to four decades. The growth is driven by a fast-growing demographic and large-scale urbanization. The operation of new mines, gas and oil fields, as well as the increase in intra-regional and international trade, are additional growth factors.

The current condition of existing railways infrastructure and rolling stock is low in many African countries. This shortfall has undermined the potential of the rail systems to play an influential contributing role in economic development.

The benefits of efficient well managed rail networks for the transportation of cargoes are evident through some successful rail links such as the Sishen Saldanha Bay line, which carries approximately 60mt of ore per annum, and the Tete Nacala port rail line which carries approximately 70mt of coal annually.

Sasco is a leading supplier of weighing equipment to the rail sector with critical products including rail weighbridges and rail in-motion rail weighing systems, together with ProRail+ software.