Grindrod’s first test train opens a route for Mpumalanga coal
KOMATIPOORT — Grindrod has become the first private operator to run a train on South Africa’s national freight rail network under the new open-access system. Its test train returned to Komatipoort with 2,991 tonnes of freight on Monday. The company plans to use the route from 2027 primarily to carry Mpumalanga coal to its own Matola Terminal in Mozambique.
The train left Komatipoort empty on Sunday, 1 November, and completed the return leg the following day using Grindrod’s locomotives and wagons. The run followed safety and operational checks and gave Grindrod its first opportunity to demonstrate that it could haul a full load on the North-East Corridor under the agreement it signed with Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) in May.
Two rail slots connect Grindrod’s trains to its terminal
For coal exporters, the commercial significance lies in who can handle the journey from mine to port. Grindrod already operates the terminal at Matola. With two train slots on the North-East Corridor, it will also be able to haul customers’ cargo on the South African rail leg. Group chief executive Kwazi Mabaso said combining those operations would help the company offer customers a more reliable service.
The tracks remain state-owned, with TRIM responsible for maintaining the network and managing access. Twelve train operators, including Grindrod, have signed access agreements. Grindrod is the first of them to put its own train on the network under those arrangements.
The next milestone for shippers is the start of regular commercial haulage in 2027. Grindrod aims to move about 288,000 tonnes in its first year, roughly 96 times the load it carried back to Komatipoort during the test.
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