Transnet Port Terminals reports that maintenance work and upgrades on Tippler 2 at the Richards Bay bulk terminal have been completed.
The second tippler's capacity has thus increased from 74 t wagons to 90 t wagons, with an ability to handle 18 wagons an hour.
The State-owned freight utility thought it well to upgrade the terminal’s tipplers following several incidents that required reactive emergency works, accompanied by unplanned expenditure.
Transnet took the liberty of also doing maintenance and civil work on adjacent conveyor belts and loading and offloading quayside equipment.
“With increased volumes across the magnetite and chrome commodities, planned maintenance is now a calendar event. It complements the technology investments and automation that we are embarking on to ensure we deliver on our mandate.
“This project came about in 2015, during a time where the tipplers were breaking down and everybody was complaining. Yes, there were challenges that delayed the process, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, but now Tippler 2 has been finally upgraded and next year we will be working on the refurbishing and upgrading of Tippler 1,” sates Richards Bay dry bulk operations manager Reggie Mthembu.
The terminal will, in the next six months, take delivery of a new transfer chute, a new conveyor belt, a multipurpose loader and undertake a railyard extension project to accommodate additional wagons.