Transport News
Air India places record order for airliners
Air India, the private-sector nationwide flag provider for the giant Asian country, on Tuesday revealed the most significant ever single order for airliners. The order has actually been divided between the world’s leading 2 business airliner business, Airbus and Boeing, although not on a 50:50 basis: the carrier has revealed a preference for Airbus types. An effect of Air India’s choice is that aeroengine maker Rolls-Royce has received the greatest order so far for its Trent XWB-97 turbofan engines. From Airbus, Air India has ordered an overall of 250 aircraft. This number is divided into 210 single-aisle airliners (more subdivided into 140 A320neo and 70 larger A321neo aircraft, the suffix -neo standing for brand-new engine alternative) and 40 new-generation wide-body aircraft (also subdivided, into 34 A350-1000s and six A350-900s).
Isuzu retains top truck selling position for tenth year, looks to expand diesel alternatives Isuzu Trucks revenue generation senior VP Craig Uren gives insight into the company’s future plans. Video and editing: Shadwyn Dickinson.
Commercial vehicle maker Isuzu Truck, which is commemorating a tenth consecutive year as the truck market leader, is progressing with plans to present more recent and more eco-friendly truck drivetrain alternatives. According to the current report by naamsa|The Automotive Business Council, Isuzu Truck taped sales of 30 153 systems of business vehicles (including vans and buses) in 2022– an increase of 11.4% year-on-year, with Isuzu’s development at 4.7%.
African Harbour Masters Association conference set for March
The inaugural African Harbour Masters Association (AHMA) conference is set to happen on March 2 and 3, in Tangier, Morocco. South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) states its primary harbour master Captain Rufus Lekala has been working for ten years to make the conference a reality.
Isuzu retains top truck selling position for tenth year, looks to expand diesel alternatives Isuzu Trucks revenue generation senior VP Craig Uren gives insight into the company’s future plans. Video and editing: Shadwyn Dickinson.
Commercial lorry producer Isuzu Truck, which is commemorating a tenth consecutive year as the truck market leader, is advancing with strategies to roll out newer and more eco-friendly truck drivetrain choices. According to the most recent report by naamsa|The Automotive Business Council, Isuzu Truck recorded sales of 30 153 units of business automobiles (consisting of vans and buses) in 2022– an increase of 11.4% year-on-year, with Isuzu’s development at 4.7%.
TPT engaging OEMs to address ageing equipment
Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), a division of State-owned company Transnet, has started a process to engage with original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to establish long-term partnerships. The process aims to ensure the standardisation of equipment and spares to improve plant reliability as part of TPT’s capital investment plan for the replacement and refurbishment of equipment that has exceeded or is nearing end-of-life.
Transnet snubs Kumba’s overture to run lucrative iron-ore rail line
South Africa’s State-owned logistics business has actually declined an overture from an Anglo American unit to take control of the running of its iron ore rail line, which is one of its most rewarding however fights to move enough volumes. Kumba Iron Ore wishes to lease the line from Transnet or run it on a concession basis, and would invest in enhancing its capacity and make it more efficient, according to Mpumi Zikalala, Kumba’s chief executive officer. While she wants to talk about the matter with the federal government, her Transnet counterpart Portia Derby isn’t interested.
Separation of TFR’s infrastructure, operator functions may open way for big third-party ramp-up
Separation of TFR’s infrastructure, operator functions to open way for big third-party ramp-up State-owned freight logistics group Transnet intends to introduce a dedicated infrastructure supervisor function within Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) by October, successfully separating the infrastructure and functional aspects of the rail organization in preparation for a significant growth of third-party access to the network.
Bolt says it will invest €500m in Africa in the next two years
Mobility app Bolt says it will invest €500-million in its African operations over the next two years. The funds will be used to expand the company’s services in Africa and to create opportunities for more than 300 000 new drivers and couriers to join the platform in 2023.
Sanral, Transnet, Denel among SOEs to receive fiscal support in 2023/24
As State-owned entities (SOEs) continue to count on government bailouts and control the assurance portfolio of the fiscus, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced conditional in-year allowances to various SOEs in the National Budget speech provided on February 22. These consist of allotments to arms maker Denel, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) and freight energy Transnet to the tune of R30-billion, to allow these entities to “continue supporting financial development”.
Construction of new bridge gets under way in Limpopo
Limpopo MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure Nkakareng Rakgoale today attended the sodturning ceremony for the construction of a R127-million bridge over the Steelpoort river, at Ga-Malekana. The sodturning event follows the successful finalizing of a memorandum of arrangement (MoA) by Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) and 8 mining companies operating within the Sekhukhune district town.