The transport sector delivers economic and social benefits by connecting firms to international and regional markets. However, supporting infrastructure is costly and requires large investment in railway construction and aviation, as well as ports and harbours, and careful planning is necessary to ensure affordability and endurance, notes events organiser Terrapinn.

Terrapin is hosting the 2013 Africa Transport and Infrastructure Show, the continent’s largest  forum of its kind, which will take place from June 25 to 26 at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg. It aims to address some of these key issues in the transport and infrastructure industries.

Currently in its sixteenth year, Africa’s Transport and Infrastructure Show 2013 is a unique exhibition and conference designed to assist operators, end-users, investors and governments to optimise their investment into solid infrastructure for railways, aviation, ports and harbours, Terrapinn notes.

With the growing number of infrastructure projects in development across the continent, interest in the Africa Transport and Infrastructure Show has been rising. This year, some 90 exhibitors and 2 500 participants from across the globe are expected to attend Arica’s largest transport and infrastructure show.

The show will also be celebrating some of the outstanding operators in the African transport sector this year, with its annual Transport Africa Awards dinner on June 25 at the Sandton Sun Hotel, where the industry will have the chance to identify and reward those companies that demonstrated an unparalleled ability to succeed and continually set standards of excellence.

“Companies can be nominated for nine different categories, including Transport Personality of the Year, Transport Supplier of the Year, Best African Rail Operator or Concessionaire, Best Port/Harbour Operator or Terminal in Africa, The Best Financial Support in the Transport Industry, Best Skills Contributor, The Best Africa Project Team, The Transport Green Award and The Transport Safety Award.  The winners will be selected by an independent advisory panel of judges,” Terrapinn highlights.

“This show has something in it for everyone. Visitors can attend for free and learn from our technical seminars. Africa’s largest transport and infrastructure show has the right people talking about the right things,” Terrapin states.

It adds that part of the goals behind this year’s Africa Transport and infrastructure Show is to connect attendees to be able to address some of the more pertinent issues facing the industry in Africa today, such as increasing or improving skills development initiatives, and developing a local engineering base to support what will one day become a first-world network.

In addition, the show aims to address the creation of bankable projects that are based on supply and demand that will attract investors, the determination of realistic timeframes, and support partners to best implement these current and upcoming projects.