Grindrod plans to begin moving about 280 000 tonnes of coal a year from Mpumalanga to its terminal in Maputo under South Africa's emerging open-access rail framework, positioning itself to become one of the first private operators to run freight trains on Transnet's network.
A test train is scheduled before the end of the year, with commercial operations targeted for the first half of 2027.
The company's operational readiness for open access is 'progressing very well', according to CEO Kwazi Mabaso, who was speaking during an operational performance webinar. Grindrod had secured two weekly train slots on the corridor and was taking a cautious approach to launching the service, he said. The initial operation will require three locomotives, plus one spare, and 50 wagons.
