Transport World Africa Nov/Dec 2011

AFRICA CComplete omplete ttransport ransport & llogistics ogistics m management anagement ssolutions olutions

Truck hijacking It’s big business

Trans-Cunene Gearing up for trade

Port efficiency A strategic imperative

Vehicle tracking taken to a new level

Technology, bringing down cash heist robberies P6 ISSN 1684-7946 Nov/Dec 2011 Vol. 9 No. 4 / R30.00 incl. VAT

www.3smedia.co.za

MEDIA

TWA November/December 11 Vol 9 No5

INSIDE Materials handling

FESARTA ESARTA Intraregional trade: The key to Africa’s prosperity

Industry perspectives Truck hijacking is big business RFA speaks out on E-Tolls

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11 Product news

Fuel science 14

Factors affecting truck fuel economy

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Africa Rail Transnet Freight Rail’s National Command Centre

DIGIT Vehicle tracking for fleet management 4

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24 Transporting money

Cover story

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Transport feature

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Supply chain logistics Supply chain management in the FMCG industry

Regional focus The Trans-Cunene Transport Corridor

Improving port performance Beyond limitations Durban container terminal reaches new milestone

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Regulars

Johannesburg International Motor Show Technology advances in the global truck market

Gone green with speed Tough molecules protect engine

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Editorial comment SADC projects The Tail End

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TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 1

F ROM T HE D RIVER’S S EAT Publisher Elizabeth Shorten Editor Tony Stone • tony@3smedia.co.za Creative chief executive Frédérick Danton Contributors Barney Curtis, RFA, John Batwell.

Goodyear, Madhu Bala, Dr Shakti Prakash, Dr Dinesh Kumar Chief sub-editor Cindy Maulgue Sub-editor Danielle Hugo

In this cooking pot

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www.3smedia.co.za Annual subscription: R270 (incl VAT) ISSN 1684-7946 © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Editorial advisory board • Barney Curtis, executive officer of FESARTA • Garry Marshall, CEO, SA Express Parcel Association • Bill Cameron, director, Transport Research Consultancy • Graham Ross, retired road engineer • Dr Andrew Shaw, principal transport analyst for Development Bank of South Africa • Captain Colin Jordaan, CEO and commissioner of the Civil Aviation Authority • Prof. Leon Raath, board member, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, South Africa • Barlow Manilal, CEO, Automotive Industry Development Centre and National President of The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILTSA) • Anthony Cole, COD, Concorde Maritime Academy.

All articles herein TWA are copyright-protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

ENDORSED BY

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T

he phenomenal growth of Asia over the last few years can be attributed to a number of factors, one of which is intraregional trade. If we are to learn anything from the Asians, we should follow suit.

Fortunately, SADC has recognised this as an opportunity and are turning the idea into reality.

But, we have a few hurdles to overcome, those being tariff and non-tariff barriers.

The Road Freight Association, amongst other industry associations, has taken a very strong stand against Gauteng’s E-Tolls and has recommended that its members not register for E-Tolling. It has also come out that government was aware of the private sector’s opposition to the Gauteng toll roads project right from the start, but chose to ignore this. Now, with all the money spent, we sit with a real problem. Quite a debacle! Two things come to mind – the old adage ‘look before you leap’, and the universal law of cause and effect.

Truck hijacking is a billion rand plus a year business. Even in winning the numbers game, it remains a huge problem. Now that it’s getting tougher on the cash-in-transit robbery side due to advances in technology, criminals are going for soft targets. Do we need more effective policing instead of men and women sitting behind bushes with speed cameras? And, while we are on the subject of trucks, looking at the 2010/11 versus 2009/10 truck accident statistics, we can see that something is very definitely wrong. Are the stats incorrect or are drivers becoming increasingly reckless, thinking that they are driving mini bus taxis?

The Johannesburg International Motor Show was a huge success. Sven-Erik Bergendahl and truck designer, Jan Richter, enthralled visitors with their Scania R999 ‘Red Pearl’. This truck features a monstrous twin-turbocharged 16-litre V8 engine that pushes out 1 000 hp and 4 500 Nm. The engine is powerful enough to propel this 4.5 tonne truck to 100km/h in five seconds through a specially-modified Allison automatic transmission. Now that’s something! Imagine taking on the bikers at a breakfast run!?

One thing is for sure, and despite the criticisms levelled at it, Transnet is methodically building a better, world-class organisation.

With their latest achievement, a state-of-the-art

National Control Centre, they are one step closer to achieving their goal.

In running around southern Africa in the last few months, I have become increasingly aware of the strategies and plans of our neighbours.

Tired of South Africa being the ‘gateway’ to

With the road safety summit coming up we will have much to talk about – as per usual Africa, they are determined to upgrade and open up their port facilities to take a slice of the pie. South Africa would do well to take cognisance of this and look at ways of improving port efficiencies, which are nowhere close to first-world standards. Using materials handling technology, this can be achieved.

Namibia, with its four transport corridors, is eager to compete with South Africa. We take a look at their Trans-Cunene Transport Corridor that will open up northern Namibia and southern Angola.

As to road safety, pedestrian deaths are far too high. From my own driving experiences, pedestrians seem not to have been schooled in road safety and this is a huge problem.

Last but not least, and as is becoming tradition, I have my say about something on the last page. This time round, I take a swipe at China.

Are we sleeping with the enemy?

Wishing you a safe and restful festive season.

Editor

R EGIONAL P ERSPECTIVES FESARTA NEWS AND VIEWS

The key to Africa’s prosperity

Barney Curtis, executive officer, FESARTA

I

Just as an engine needs oil, Africa’s economies need international trade, especially intraregional trade. The promise of a brighter future is there, but there are a few problems standing in the way. By Barney Curtis

n 2010 the World Bank reported that Africa’s intraregional trade was standing at only 10%, which is the lowest among the trade groupings instituted by governments since 2000. While we have seen some improvement in 2011, many obstacles still stand in the way.

Looking at the stars in world economics there are five attributes that distinguish these countries from the less fortunate. These are: • education • infrastructure development and maintenance • technology adoption and deployment • the implementation of robust, efficient processes • common standards.

Economic growth and development, in which the road transport companies of east and southern Africa play an integral part, is being hampered by the inability of governments to embrace and realise these attributes effectively. As a result, the road transport companies, which carry the bulk of goods being imported and exported in and out of Africa, face problems and challenges directly owing to inadequate infrastructure, process inefficiencies and incongruent laws and standards across the sub-continent. This reduces productivity, increases costs and, overall, makes Africa less competitive. Unless we change this we will always play second fiddle.

The Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (FESARTA), working in collaboration with world, continental and regional organisations, wishes to take an active role and effect positive change. To this end, a quick survey of road transporters revealed a plethora

of issues causing serious problems to the free flow of regional road transport, some of which are listed below: • Infrastructure: roads/bridges/city bypasses: e.g. the design and construct of the Tete Bridge restricts the supply route’s maximum loads to Malawi to 48 t.

• Border post infrastructure: e.g. poor infrastructure at a few of Zimbabwe’s border posts leads to inefficiencies and corruption.

• Border posts procedures/documentation: e.g. inadequate vehicle control at Beit Bridge results in security problems.

• Customs/transit guarantee and bond: e.g.

Tanzania needs a single transit bond.

• Driver wellness: e.g. Uganda needs facilities for driver wellness along its transport corridors.

• Drivers’ immigration/visas: e.g. Malawi‘s immigration rules for drivers are too stringent.

• Driver’s licence/PRDP: e.g. drivers’ licences not recognised in all countries.

• Road safety: e.g. in the DRC, many drivers are inadequately trained and are therefore a danger to other road users.

The time has come to give truckers a voice in intraregional trade

• Bilateral road transport agreements/market access: e.g. Mozambique’s transport permits to different countries are not harmonised.

• Self-regulation/accreditation: e.g. Tanzania really does need this.

• Corruption and smuggling: e.g. Zimbabwe is particularly fraught with these problems.

• Fitness of vehicles: e.g. many vehicles are not roadworthy but have roadworthy certificates.

• Hijacking: e.g. South Africa and Tanzania have a serious problem.

• Insurance of vehicles and/or loads: e.g. third party insurance is not harmonised across east and southern Africa.

• Road user charges: e.g. in some countries fees are far too high. More and more cash is being carried by drivers.

• Load limits/weighbridges: e.g. load limits are not harmonised across the region and weighbridges are not always calibrated correctly.

• Abnormal loads: e.g. there are too many difficulties with procedures when moving abnormal loads.

• Dangerous goods: e.g. Zimbabwe has a huge problem with its curfews and corruption.

• Left-hand drive trucks: e.g. Mozambique is intending to ban left-hand drive vehicles.

• Charges and taxes: e.g. Zambia has introduced a K360 000 border entry charge and South Africa’s CBRTA permits increased by over 200%.

• General: e.g. recommendations by regional economic communities (RECs) are not implemented at national level.

To give truckers a voice, FESARTA will be holding a regional workshop, not a talk shop, with world, continental and regional organisations, road transport associations and national governments attending, to identify and address these and other issues.

As such, it is expected that road transporters from at least 14 different countries will attend the workshop, which will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 24 to 26 March 2012.

If ever there was a time to speak, and be heard, it will be at this workshop.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 3

C OVER S TORY

Transport World Africa offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Companies are afforded the opportunity of publishing a two-page cover story and a cover picture to promote their

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C OVER S TORY

products and services to an appropriate audience. Please call Hanlie Fintelman on +27 (0)12 543 2564 to secure your booking. The article does not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 5

I NDUSTRY P ERSPECTIVES

Truck hijacking is BIG business

Organised crime syndicates target their victims very carefully, plan well and execute their plans with precision. Truckers are often the victims. But, are we winning the fight against organised crime? By Tony Stone

T

he good news, taking the 2010/11 crime statistics of 999 hijacked trucks for the year, is that we are down by 30% on the previous year’s total. The bad news, however, is that it is still too high. Gauteng (60.0%), Mpumlanga (16.3%) and KwaZulu Natal (9.4%) are the hot spots.

In fact, every day of the year in South Africa three trucks are hijacked. It’s not so much the truck that the criminals are interested in, but rather the cargo which, in some reported cases, has been worth as much as R2 million.

In that particular case, the truck was found abandoned but the cargo was lost.

To mitigate one’s risk by taking out insurance is all well and good, but if truck hijacking

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continues unabated, the insurance industry will reconsider the sustainability of affordable

Fighting the crime of truck hijacking has and must be a key priority area for the South African Police Service, as it is for SAIA. Motor insurance constitutes 40% of the short-term insurance business.

The high cost of claims is negatively impacting the profitability of the motor insurance industry.

It’s not so much the truck that the criminals are interested in, but rather the cargo comprehensive motor insurance. This warning came from Dawie Buys of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA), a speaker at the recently-held Vehicle Tracking and Recovery Conference. What is important to note here is that Buys is referring to the insurance of the vehicle only and not its cargo, which is insured separately and to which the same consideration will be given.

Organised crime The people who hijack trucks are usually members of crime syndicates or serve as suppliers to highly-organised crime syndicates.

Most truck hijackings occur for the cargo, to sell it locally or export some or all of it to

I NDUSTRY P ERSPECTIVES another country. Where the truck is not recovered, that is because it has been exported to another country (15%), cloned and re-entered into the legal market (75%) or dismantled for spare parts in chop shops (10%).

To succeed, truck hijacking, in the vast majority of cases, requires the involvement of organised crime and it can only succeed with higher-level planning, the corruption of certain South African Police Services personnel, individuals within the Department of Home affairs, staff members of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and licensing officials. It also involves money laundering.

Vehicle tracking Insurers insisting on anti-theft devices being fitted to motor vehicles does not solve the hijacking problem, which led insurers to insisting that tracking devices be fitted. However, research carried out by one insurer into the operational state of vehicle tracking devices shows that, of the first tracking company, 54% of the units were active and 46% were inactive.

And, of the second tracking company, 57% were active and 43% inactive. If the vehicle owner does not ensure that his or her vehicle tracking device is active, it does not help the fight against hijacking and will ultimately lead to an increase in insurance premiums – the minority making it bad for the majority.

Recovery rates Where vehicles are fitted with tracking devices, tracking companies recover between 80% and 85% of these vehicles when stolen. Where no tracking device has been fitted, insurers recover anything between 20% and 40%. The 24-hour window period after a vehicle is stolen is crucial. As much as 57% are recovered in this time frame.

Within the first week, 73% are recovered, and within three months, 90% are recovered. Of all the vehicles stolen, 97% are ultimately recovered, but more than a year

We need to unmask syndicate insiders. We need to leave no stone unturned. We need to prevail! later. The 3% that are not recovered, ever, is by no means a small number given the theft statistics. After recovery, the value of the vehicle is anything between 40% and 50% of market value.

As to trucks, this is a small number – 30 trucks in all with an estimated replacement value of R15 million.

This does not take into account lost productivity and the associated costs of replacement. Unfortunately, in vehicle theft reporting, cargo loss is not recorded. Given that we know the majority of cargos stolen are not recovered, it is important to record that lack of this specific category of statistical reporting is detrimental to the fight against truck hijacking.

Another moot point is that tracking devices in the truck simply don’t work if the trailer is towed away If we were to assume, in saying ‘the majority’, that this number be 65%, it can be conservatively estimated that

Graph 1 (top) Truck hijacking in South Africa.

We are seeing a directional change in the trend. But, will it continue?

in 2010/11 at least 649 cargos were lost – at an estimated total value of R2.85 billion. Even if it were half this figure, that is a lot of money. And, without question, with over 10 million vehicles on South Africa’s roads, and only 35% of them being insured, the problem is far bigger than we perceive.

Where are we now?

Technology today has advanced to such an extent that one can watch via video link, in real time, the driver, the cab and the road ahead. One can also see exactly where the truck is on a map and see how fast they are travelling. If the vehicle leaves a predetermined route, notification will be given.

And, with a modified cell phone, one can also determine the driver’s proximity to the vehicle. Should the driver move too far away from the vehicle, be it on the road of any southern African country, one can see this in the control room. A quick call to the driver will determine why.

Amazing stuff, for those who can afford it! Nonetheless, it is probably this technology that has resulted in there being a decrease in truck hijackings.

Finding a solution So, what do we do? In conjunction with insurers and tracking companies, we continue to developing new and better technology. We move to the next level and, via telematrix monitoring, monitor driver and truck behaviour. We use new insurance product innovations such as ‘Pay as you Drive’, ‘Pay as you Go’ and ‘Motorvation’ to reduce insurance premiums, and thereby cut costs. We combat fraud, together with Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) and the South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB), with the assistance of tracking companies and the South African Police Service. We take our fight to the Department of Home affairs, SARS and licensing officials, and unmask the syndicate insiders. We leave no stone unturned. Because, if we do not and we allow criminals to prevail, anarchy will reign!

Transport World Africa is in favour of reclassifying certain crimes as economic sabotage, punishable by stiff jail terms.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 7

I NDUSTRY A SSOCIATIONS

RFA speaks out on E-Tolls As with COSATU, the RFA has careflly considered the E-Tolls implementation plan and found it to be problematic.

T

he most recent announcements by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) have been that the Gauteng E-Tolls will be implemented from February 2012, following a period where the system needs to ‘go-live’. For the system to be tested by the ‘go-live’ period, SANRAL requires that all future users purchase an E-Tag and register in the system.

SANRAL will commence with the registration and issuing of E-Tags from 01 November 2011 (or soon thereafter) to ensure that a reasonable number of vehicles are registered for the ‘go-live’ test phase. However, the Road Freight Association (RFA) has received no response from SANRAL in terms of its recent request for further discounts on the proposed toll tariffs or enquiries into the creation of new categories to accommodate medium sized freight vehicles in line with the tolling structure implemented by other toll-concessionaires across the country.

The RFA has also had no further response from SANRAL in terms of the following unresolved queries/issues relating to accountability for key account holders (and individual E-Tag owners): • Dispute process: there is no process associated with transactions that appear on your account which you may wish to challenge/ query.

• Toll enforcement: no finalisation has been reached in terms of how defaulters will be dealt with as Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) cannot deal with these in their current form.

• Violation processing: SANRAL intends to prosecute once a number of tolls are outstanding, but this is contrary to common law (prosecution must happen when an offence is committed).

• Standard contract: this contains clauses that allow SANTRAL to blacklist account holders and make account holders responsible for tolls, irrespective of the risk of fraud.

• Cloned/false number plates: no system has been created to ensure that victims of cloned number plating are not unduly prejudiced.

• Access to personal account: SANRAL has not submitted guarantees that registered accounts will not be accessed for fraudulent activities.

• Payment deadline: SANRAL requires full settlement of tolls within 07 (seven) days of the

transaction (business practice is 30 (thirty) days).

In addition to the above, the following two items are cause for great concern: • Individuals/companies that propose to utilise

Civil society at large are against E-Tag registration a bank to process toll fees (as is currently the case in other toll-road situations) will only receive their statements 30 (thirty) days after payment and will then need to query transactions with their banks (where necessary). The banks will then need to query with SANRAL and there is no proposed process for this part of the transaction (but banks will settle with SANRAL every night at 24:00, so you will, in effect, have paid and still be liable).

• Should you decide not to register for an E-Tag (there is no ‘manual’ process), SANRAL will not send you an account in the mail and will just hand over the offending registration details to

Sharmini Naidoo, CEO of the Road Freight Association, with Jeremy Cronin, deputy minister of Transport

a violation processing centre, which will then take action to enforce payment. This is unacceptable as users must be given the choice of how they will pay and not be confined to a single process that is beneficial to SANRAL only.

Register or don’t register?

Numerous queries have been received from members as to whether they should register and purchase E-Tags when these are released.

Whilst the RFA cannot advise members to follow a route that would prejudice them, it is concerning that the roll-out of the tolling system is taking place irrespective of the concerns raised by the RFA and many other fleet operating associations. A number of associations and bodies are now actively advocating not to register for E-Tags until such time as SANRAL has resolved the operational challenges still facing the system.

E-Tags can always be purchased at a later date, once issues of concern have been addressed.

Finally, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) issue (to toll or not to toll) has not been finalised. The ministerial task team has yet to finalise its own investigation, whilst the Gauteng Provincial Government has scheduled a session with its citizens (and petition signatories) for 11 November.

The RFA maintains that the best method of recovering the development and maintenance costs for the GFIP is a fuel levy of around 35 cents per litre (countrywide). The costs associated with administering and implementing the collection of tolls through the gantry system remains an exorbitant and fruitless expenditure that the country should reject outright. Spending between R6 and R14 billion (the latest figure quoted by the Democratic Alliance) to collect R21 billion just does not make financial sense.

The RFA will keep members updated on the progress of the ministerial task team, as well as any other developments linked to the roll-out of the GFIP E-Toll.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 8

R EGIONAL F OCUS THE TRANS‐CUNENE CORRIDOR

Opening up southern Angola Rebuilding a region ravaged by decades of conflict takes time. As the wounds heal, new infrastructure opens up endless opportunities. This is a success story in the making. By Tony Stone

T

he Republic of Namibia and the Republic of Angola formally agreed to create the Trans-Cunene corridor in May 1997 as a means of opening up northern Namibia and southern Angola to economic development opportunities – much needed after the protracted 27-year civil war between the principal protagonists, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).

The corridor, comprising road, rail and air links, runs between the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia and Lubango, near the small Port of Namibe, in south-western Angola. By road, it is a distance of 1 551 km, with a (sensible) transit time of four days.

In all likelihood, the Trans-Cunene Corridor will link up with the east-west Benguela Corridor at Lobito and/or Huambo in westcentral Angola.

The road to Santa Clara From Walvis Bay, the road, a little narrow for two big trucks passing each other, but they do, travels north-east through the desert to Usakos, an old watering station, and then on to Karibib, which is well known for its aragonite and marble. This

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R EGIONAL F OCUS

initial 210 km section of the road is in good to fair condition.

Just outside Karibib, on the Windhoek road, a right turn south takes you onto a sweeping left-curving onramp north to Omaruru, a town famous for its dinosaur footprints. From here it’s on to Otjiwarongo, where fat cattle graze, and on to Otavi, a famous old mining town, after which comes Tsumeb, the ‘gateway’ to the north. All along this 384 km section, work teams keep the road well maintained. And, while travelling this road, keep an eye out for the frequently-sighted bush pig (some of them get quite big), and the occasional antelope, crossing the road.

From Tsumeb, the road travels north-west to Ondangwa, the residence of Ovambo kings and on to Oshakati, a once military base that has now been now civilised. This 250 km stretch of road is in good condition. From here the road continues 56 km north-east to Oshikango, Namibia’s border town with Angola. Oshikango is Ovamboland’s reputed shebeen capital and it would seem Santa Clara, a stone’s throw away across the border in Angola, has been duly influenced.

The Oshikango/Santa Clara Border Post There are a number of things one needs when travelling to another country, the two most important of which, before you even leave, are money and fuel. The Angolan currency is the

THE MISSING LINK The railway line from Santa Clara to Lubango, a crucial component of the TransCunene Corridor, is currently on the drawing board

Kwanza, of which Kz100 will buy R8.42.

Unleaded petrol and diesel are readily available throughout the country. All fuel stations are well equipped and each town always has petrol and diesel (or at least diesel) available. Some of the new petrol stations also have lead-free petrol.

With these basics dispensed with, we now look at what documentation is needed. Except for Namibian citizens, a visa is required. This will set you back R1 800, with a 30-day waiting period, or R5 000 for a two-day waiting period. You will need an international driver’s licence or a SADC driver’s licence. Certificates proving your inoculation against yellow fever and vaccination against cholera are compulsory. Certification of typhoid, hepatitis A, tetanus and polio vaccinations are recommended, as is taking bottled water. Malaria is a medium to high risk. And, as with travelling to foreign destinations, having medical insurance cover is strongly recommended.

As to your vehicle and insurance, comprehensive vehicle insurance is compulsory, as is third-party insurance, which you can buy for R230 in Oshikango. The original vehicle registration documents,

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 11

R EGIONAL F OCUS valuables. Don’t bring any meat back. It will be confiscated in Namibia.

The Namibian border authorities are very strict. Remember that the border times are 08:00 to 18:00. And, very importantly, remember that Angola is an hour behind South Africa.

The road to Lubango

as well as certified copies (the registration document from which you cut the disc too) need to be on hand for inspection at the border. If you owe money to a bank for the purchase of the vehicle, you will need a bank letter, with dates, permitting you to take the vehicle across the border. The bank letter and licence documents have to be certified by a commissioner of oaths (find out beforehand where your vehicle’s engine number is displayed).

You need a letter of invitation from the person or company you are visiting or delivering goods to. Your name and passport number must appear on the letter. Get a police clearance certificate from the South African or Nambian police, whichever is necessary. As a trucker, you will need your manifest, commercial invoice, F178 for goods over R50 000, SAD 500 (Bill of Entry), SADC 500 (Certificate) and packing list.

It is important that you make seven to ten certified copies of all documents.

As a road user you will need a road permit, which will costs about Kz3 850. Make sure you have a ZA sticker on your vehicle and emergency equipment, including an emergency triangle and reflective jacket.

As to what you may take into Angola, general items for personal use, gifts or souvenirs up to the value of R3 500, including 400 cigarettes or 500 g of cigars or other tobacco products, two litres of wine and one litre of spirits, 250 ml of eau de toilette or 50 ml or perfume and aftershave, or similar products, are permissible.

Have all electronic equipment such as cameras, video recorders and computers certified by the police or customs. There are restrictions on firearms and ammunition, pornographic materials, plants from infected areas, gaming machines, pure alcohol (such as methylated spirits), animals without corresponding certificates, dangerous medicines or foodstuffs and fiscal or postal stamps or

Unlike other countries, Namibia's roads are regularly maintained

Crossing a border always seems to bring on a new atmosphere. Perhaps it’s just the fact that you are in a different country. From Santa Clara the road continues 40 km in a north-westerly direction to Ondjiva (formally Villa Pereira de Eca). Its only claim to fame is being the the administrative capital of Cunene Province. After continuing in a northwesterly direction for a while, the road turns to take an almost westerly route to Xangongo (previously Villa Rocados), a town 99 km further up the road, which, up until this point, is in a good condition. Xangongo was a focal point in the civil war and the site of a number of battles between Cuban and South African forces. Old rusted Russian T26 tanks destroyed by the South Africans litter the bush. Once you cross the mighty Cunene River, travelling in a north-westerly direction again and now on your way to Lubango (previously Sá da Bandeira), the road becomes truly African. For 292 km you travel along a dirt road, which in rainy season becomes a challenge for any driver, especially trucks.

Railways The Trans-Cunene Corridor’s road infrastructure is complimented by the northern railway line, which comprises a long established section, a recently completed section and a soon-to-be-completed section. The railway line doesn’t deviate from the road route except to bypass Karibib.

From Walvis Bay, the now long-established section of the railway line travels north-east to Tsumeb. From here, the recently completed railway line travels north-west to Ondangwa and the soon-to-be-completed section, from Ondangwa to Oshikango, will end with the last stretch, a short piece, to reduce congestion at the Oshikango border post, one kilometre into Angola at a railway station yard close to Santa Clara. There it stops. The Angolan authorities intend building a railway line from Lubango to Santa Clara at some point in the future.

TransNamib is the national transport logistic provider in Namibia.

This parastatal specialises in break bulk and containerised freight transport and is able to provide a dependable, cost-effective cargo delivery service, through a combination of rail and road transport, to the greater SADC region.

It is important that you make seven to ten certified copies of all documents

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TransNamib Railways

R EGIONAL F OCUS Airlines If you do not wish to travel by rail or road, you can fly - yourself or use Air Namibia, SonAir, SAA Express or TAAG Angola Airlines.

There are three airports along the Trans-Cunene Corridor, all of which are IATA registered and approved. These are: • Walvis Bay Airport serves Walvis Bay, a town in the Erongo Region of Namibia. The airport is found approximately 15 km east of the town at an elevation of 91 m above sea level.

It has one runway designated 09/27, with an asphalt surface measuring 2 134 m by 30 m, with extensions on either side, giving it an overall length of 3 500 m. Air Namibia flies from Walvis Bay to Windhoek and Cape Town, while South African Express flies to Walvis Bay from Cape Town and Johannesburg.

• Ondangwa Airport serves the town of Ondangwa in the Oshana Region of Namibia.

The airport is found 5 km northwest of the town at an elevation of 1 097 m above sea level. It has one runway designated 08/26, with an asphalt surface measuring 2 987 by 30 m (9 800 × 98 ft). It also has a secondary runway measuring 1 348 m by 30 m that is designated 16/34. Air Namibia flies between

Important contact details Customs and roads authorities • Namibia Northern Region Oshakati t +264 65 229705 • f +264 65 220546 • Oshikango Border Post t +264 65 264613/264623 • Angola Ministry of Transport t +244 222 311581/311303 • f +244 222 311303/395933 TransNamib (freight and container services) • General manager: operations t +264 61 298 2169 • Container pick-up/deliveries t +264 61 298 2296 • Emergency train operations t +264 81 124 4772 Air Namibia Commercial Services Department t +264 61 299 6160 • f +264 61 299 6159 Consulate near border post in Santa Clara t + 244 65 221799 Walvis Bay and Ondangwa.

• Lubango Mukanka Airport serves Lubango, the capital of the Huíla Province, in Angola.

The airport is found at an elevation of 1 761 m above sea level. It has one runway designated 10/28, with an asphalt surface

measuring 2 917 m by 45 m. Air Namibia flies from Windhoek to Lubango and on to Luanda, SonAir flies between Lubango and Luanda, and TAAG Angola Airlines flies from Lubango to Huambo, Luanda and Windhoek.

NAMGOLA was born out of our freight expertise in Angola, Namibia, Mozambique and Malawi, as well as our desire to create a successful freight company that understands logistics services in Africa.

We are based in Johannesburg but operate all over Africa. We have agents at all major border posts as well as the main ports and cities. We also have a sister company operating out of Windhoek that plays a large role to streamline our movements into Namibia and especially Angola.

We combine technology, information, our people and other resources to create an integrated system that offers our customers the best possible solution to their unique requirements. We believe in doing everything right the Àrst time.

NAMGOLA logistics P.O. Box 10730, Fonteinriet, Boksburg, 1464 t +27 (0) 11 395 3472 | f +27 (0) 86 661 8414 e info@namgola.co.za | www.namgola.co.za

In this quest to provide quality service and satisfy our customers, we guide ourselves by the “seven R’s” deÀning logistics: 3 The Right Product 3 To the Right Customer 3 At the Right Time 3 In the Right Place 3 In the Right Condition 3 In the Right Quantity 3 At the Right Cost

T RANSPORT F EATURE

T

here comes a time when one takes a stand and says enough is enough. This was the case when three SBV cash-intransit security guards were deliberately burned to death in their vehicle in 2006 near Polokwane in a cash-in-transit heist gone wrong. A forth guard was shot dead. A gang of nine, including an SBV guard who turned against his own, stole a Mercedes Benz car and forced the security van off the road. It flipped onto its side, making it difficult for the robbers to gain access to the safe compartment (mobile vault). The robbers then allegedly set the vehicle alight with the guards trapped inside.

Over the last eight years there have been a staggering 2 695 cases of cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies. For security companies providing CIT services, that’s bad for business, not to mention the millions in cash that have been stolen. Good men have died and most, if not all, of the criminals have been caught and sent to jail. Short term gains for long tern losses – life in prison.

When this year’s crime statistics were announced in August, police minister, Nathi Mthethwa, said that the tide was turning against

criminals and that the police were gaining the upper hand. As can be seen in table 1, the number of cash-in-transit robberies has dropped consistently since 2006/7. While we must acknowledge the SAPS for their good work, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has played a significant role in the fight against CIT robberies. Guided by SBV’s business needs, the CSIR, together with armoured transport vehicle manufacturers such as OTT Technologies, amongst others, have developed a formidable set of complimenting technologies that are the real reason why these figures have dropped.

The classical modus operandi for CIT heists is the ‘tap-tap’ method, where a stolen or hijacked vehicle, usually a BMW or a Mercedes because of the car’s weight and the fact that it has airbags to protect the ‘crew’ inside, is used to smash into the CIT vehicle’s right or left back tail. The execution and timing is such that the impact causes the CIT vehicle to flip on to its side, allowing the robbers to gain access to the van and

the money. But now that has changed, for SBV at least. After the Polokwane massacre, SBV’s determination to thwart these vicious criminals turned their attention to technology, not just to protect the money, but more importantly to protect the lives of their security personnel.

The first challenge was to build a vehicle sturdy enough not to be flipped. The second was to

Cash-in-transit security guards were deliberately burned to death in their vehicle prevent, as far as possible, unauthorised access into the vehicle and the third was to secure the money should the robbers get into the vehicle.

Then, if by chance the vehicle was spirited away, there would be no place to hide. Last, but not least, building on the wise old adage, forewarned is forearmed, with the control room being able to ‘see’ the vehicle and its surrounds, help could be dispatched within seconds of

Transporting money Transporting money is a high-risk occupation, and staying one jump ahead of hardened criminals is a constant challenge. But the ‘MPV’ has arrived. By Tony Stone

14 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

T RANSPORT F EATURE trouble being detected. A tall order indeed but, with necessity being the mother of all invention, solutions were found, which, in combination, makes the task of trying to rob an SBV CIT vehicle a foolish endeavour indeed.

And, because of this, robbers have turned to pavement attacks - stealing boxes of money as the guards walk into or out of banks and/or shopping centres. But, just as Verne Troyer made the Mini-Me character famous, so SBV, working with the CSIR, has come up with solutions for this problem too.

rocket propelled grenades (RPG) and improvised explosive devices (IED), whilst remaining within the OEM gross vehicle mass.

So, any attempt to ‘tap-tap’ this baby is going to fail, as a few foolish robbers have already discovered.

The modular armoured vehicle Designed and built by OTT Technologies, the MAV or modular armoured vehicle, dubbed the ‘Protector’, is unique in that, as the armoured vehicle it is, it does not suffer from the problems that seem to plague more traditional armoured vehicles. Problems such as: • poor performance (power to weight ratio) • overloading of the axles and other mechanical components • fixed body configurations • poor access to mechanical components for routine maintenance Diagram 1 • overheating Schematic of the MAV's modular • poor service/maintenance networks compartments • inflexibility in terms of future upgrades or role changes.

Built on the rock solid Hino 500 or similar drive train (chassis, engine and gearbox), with a 7 961 cc engine putting out 170 kW @ 2 500 rpm and 710 Nm @ 1 500 rpm that gives it a top speed of 135 km/h (governed), this 8 tonne beauty has a brakTable 1 ing capability, from 100 to 0 km/h, of 5.3 seconds or 72 meters. Cash in transit Its modular design of the crew compartment allows the vehicle Reported cases to be configured to suit a variety of roles whilst maintaining the for April to March same mechanical underpinnings. The drive train is supported 2003/04 to 2010/11 by the original equipment manufac2003 2004 turer (OEM) and enjoys the benefit of Province /04 /05 a comprehensive global service centre network. The MAV is available in a either Eastern Cape 19 23 4x2 or 4x4 drive configuration, thus offerFree State 4 2 ing a configuration to suit all operational Gauteng 79 95 requirements economically. The MAV Kwazulu-Natal 35 22 has its crew compartment constructed Limpopo 12 14 in 8 mm armoured steel. This material Mpumalanga 22 30 offers protection against small arms fire North West 10 10 of up to 5.56 x 45 ball ammunition. This Northern Cape 0 4 protection extends to all sides, roof and Western Cape 11 20 floor of the capsule. All cabin glass is 32 mm laminated bullet resistant glass, RSA 192 220 capable of withstanding 5.56 x 45 ball ammunition. The engine is protected by armoured steel side plates and a proven ballistic radiator protector. The engine protection has been designed to maintain adequate airflow to the engine compartment. The MAV has been specifically designed to accommodate a variety of armour upgrades (both to body and windows) to offer additional protection, from armour piercing (AP) rounds to protection from powerful devices such as

Vehicle access The base principle behind the design and operation of the MAV is to have two things make one thing happen. The vehicle is fitted with an armoured interlock door system, which, with the interaction of the driver and a biometric fingerprint reader, controls crew access or exit at any given time. One without the other will not open the door. The door between the driver’s cabin and the crew area can only be opened by the crew once the outer door of the interlock is locked. Similarly, access from the crew compartment into the vault is controlled by biometric fingerprint recognition and remote authorisation via a onetime security code (diagram 1).

The Polyurethane Dispenser Unit (PUDU) The PUDU is a rather clever way of securing money. Developed in conjunction with the CSIR and introduced in 2001, and since improved, it was developed as a deterrent for road vehicle attacks where cash in transit vehicles were being rammed and overturned.

2005 /06

2006 /07

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The PUDU system includes an anti-tilt system, which is designed to activate if the vehicle is tilted past a 45° angle for longer than 40 seconds, vehicle ramming sensors and a driver-activated panic button activator option. The system deploys automatically in the event of the vehicle being rammed or tilted. On activation, the foam created by the special polyurethane mix fills the vault and solidifies as

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 15

SBV Services (Pty) Limited

Cash Risk Management at its best!

SBV Services (Pty) Limited is a South African company jointly owned by the four major banks and provides its clients with world-class cash risk management solutions. We complete the cash value chain by partnering with our clients in providing cost effective end to end solutions to reduce their cash management risks.

With a risk pro¿le and a national footprint together with operations in Nigeria, SBV has become a recognised name in the business of cash risk management over the last 25 years. We are the trusted Cash in Transit and Cash Processing service provider to the four major banks as well as the South African Reserve Bank and have experienced the lowest number of successful attacks – despite moving the majority of cash in South Africa. Having initially built its business to provide services to the banking industry, SBV now also offers its clients their Secured Banking Vehicle Service, providing the retail industry with a world-class Cash in Transit service. SBV offers its clients the peace of mind that comes with a comprehensive and seamless cash management solution allowing clients to focus on what they do best.

SBV operates across the whole cash cycle, servicing a wide range of clients ranging from banks and retailers to fuel outlets and wholesalers. Our extensive service offering includes: » » » » »

Cash and valuables transportation Retail Cash Management Risk consultancy services Fully outsourced cash centre management ATM replenishment and management

“The business environment of the 21st century demands that organisations continually respond to evolution, change and transformation. SBV has done this successfully and built trusted relationships with its employees, customers and shareholders, which has resulted in it becoming the leading cash risk management company in South Africa.”

Grant Dunnington, Group Chief Executive Of¿cer of SBV

Contact us ¿nd out more about our services and how we can provide you with a solution to better manage your cash risk requirements.

Tel: +27 11 283 2000 Email: communications@sbv.co.za www.sbv.co.za

T RANSPORT F EATURE a pungent teargas is released into the vault. The time and effort required to free the money from the solidified polyurethane mix thereafter is prohibitive – two hours of backbreaking work. Even if, by some miracle, in a cross pavement attack, the robbers manage to get into the vault, the driver, who is safely ensconced in his/her armoured module, will activate the PUDU. The last thing a robber will want is to be caught in the vault when the PUDU is activated. In the 11 seconds it takes to fill the vault, the temperature of the polyurethane mix at this point is 140°C, enough to burn the flesh off any person it touches.

Once the vault is full, the polyurethane mix cools rapidly and solidifies.

The PUDU is designed to protect the cash. Activation, even to a perceived threat, is preferred rather than a loss of money due to a failure to activate. All CIT staff receive training in the PUDU and activation of the system as part their training course. There should be no excuse for the system not being activated in the event of a robbery unless the driver and/or crew are part of the planning of the robbery. But, even this is being addressed. There are further enhancements which will be actived within the next six months. Sensors monitoring a number of aspects will send this information via coded signals to the centre manager to ensure compliance with all procedures, as well as to ensure that any panic alarms are dealt with immediately.

The PUDU is the tool designed to protect the cash but, in essence, also to reduce the likelihood of attack and thereby reduce the threat to CIT security guards.

Vehicle tracking Besides voice radio communications with the control room, the MAV is fitted with the latest in tracking and monitoring technology. No matter where the MAV travels, it is tracked by satellite and its position displayed on a digital map in the control room. At the same time, video cameras monitor the driver and the crew’s compartments and can ‘see’ outside the vehicle. Digital recording is standard.

The vault when the PUDU is activated

job, new staff members are given thorough training. And, because one of SBV’s own CIT security guards was involved in the Polokwane incident, behavioural monitoring is an ongoing practice. SBV alternate their varied routes on a random basis and only advise bank branches that they are arriving ten minutes beforehand.

In closing The MAV is a formidable tool. For security reasons, a number of its protective and defensive features have not been mentioned. Even hardened and experienced CIT robbers need to think twice before taking on the MAV. And, if they think that hitting the crew at drop points may be simpler, they need to think again. The ‘Mini-Me’ is just as effective.

Procedural precautions Building on the philosophy that prevention is better than cure, prospective staff members are carefully screened before being appointed. Once on the

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 17

Advanced A dvanced Armoured Armour Transport Specialists in the development and manufacture of new armoured vehicles and the refurbishment of military vehicles

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sign Armo , man ured pers ufac onne ture l car rier and d s (AP OTT h evel C M ) i n as su e Pro Riot op C t cont ecte ppli ash i r d o Angl Vehi l veh ed T n tra o Ame cles i c nsit l he Un e rica ( s M P vans V/MR ited n Esco A D N P r CIT o e Bee atio ) t v ehic ns an pera rs Di les tors d Afr amon d Min ican in So es Unio uth A n fric Nume The U a, Ni rous S Def geri l arge enc a, An M inin gola g Hou eForce , Bot ses swan a

t +27 (0) 12 802 1200/1/2/3

f +27 (0) 86 504 9003

c +27 (0) 82 460 5840

otttec@gmail.com / clivel@ott.co.za

A FRICA R AIL TRAILBLAZING SHOWPIECE

Transnet Freight Rail’s National Command Centre This superbly engineered project places Transnet Freight Rail at the forefront of technology deployment in a strategic and operationally critical installation. John Batwell takes a look.

The budgeting process running in Transnet’s financial year of April to March embraces firm rail orders from customers, which are reviewed quarterly within the particular financial year, hand in hand with the prospective motive power, wagons and crews required to fulfil customers’ tonnage expectations.

This dovetails down to the customers with their weekly orders. The customer service managers look at the variable permutations within this operational component alone.

In terms of new weekly business, a weekly planning meeting is run – an Integrated Train Plan (ITP) covers the entire country and focuses on issues such as empty wagons’ distribution, types of wagons required, line occupation management and locomotive maintenance, with resultant availability versus non-availability of relevant motive power.

Multiple freight offerings

F

orty or so years back, one would have expected to see Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR’s) semi-circular shaped, multiterraced, 24/7 operational control centre on a black and white, futuristic television episode of Star Trek! Just over three years ago, the imposing, open-plan National Command Centre (NCC) in Transnet’s Parktown office block started up – an ‘umbilical cord’ in so many facets of a well-greased, integrated railway operation.

Following TFR’s CEO Siyabonga Gama’s visit to the United States last decade, the local R90 million NCC launched on 4 August 2008 is based on the observations gleaned from Burlington Northern and Union Pacific.

From a seamless managerial point of view, the control centre has incorporated into one physical complex the planning, operational execution and day-to-day troubleshooting of four principal, geographically oriented corridors – the Cape, Central, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern regions. These comprise 8 441 km of electrified

railway and 11 606 km of non-electrified routing.

The hardware running along any of these four management corridors consists of 813 diesel locomotives, 1 161 electric units and 115 types of wagons. Each ‘corridor team’ of designated personnel is responsible for: • service planning • an Integrated Train Plan • a Monitoring and Deviation Plan • the provision of appropriate types of motive • power and rolling stock • locomotive distribution • availability of infrastructure • customer care • security on the ground.

There are teams of personnel who run with the quirks, characteristics and specific rail transportation profile of their individual corridors.

Pre-planning and budgeting in terms of the profile of product movement in these corridors is executed well in advance. In late August, the 2012/13 business plan was almost in situ.

There are varied types of freight services offered: MegaRail, made up of block load trains (all one commodity) on fixed days and times; FlexiRail, which, as the name suggests, is ‘flexible’ for things such as seasonal rail traffic and AccessRail, which is dictated by specific days and times. When it comes to major railway maintenance occupation such as the servicing of the coal and iron ore corridors and Natcor (the Johannesburg-Durban high-volume line), this is built into train movement planning a good 12 months or even longer in advance.

Other planned occupations of a particular rail section are in place 21 days ahead of the particular week’s traffic being analysed for such a route. The regional operational executives (ROEs) pull up the ITP for their region to view the holistic situation particular to their rail sector.

Meeting customers’ needs A typical operational week at the NCC consists of seeing what new weekly business is at hand by 12:00 on a Wednesday. Two hours later, at 14:00, a ‘pre do-ability’ exercise is underway

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 19

A FRICA R AIL to determine the ability to meet the customer’s transportation request and

by Thursday morning at 11:00, the ‘doability’ has been determined. Twentyfive hours later, on a Friday at midday, the ITP is signed off.

Then there is the unexpected, expeditious think-on-one’s-feet troubleshooting that can colour any operational day at TFR. The occurrences include derailments, cable theft, a power failure, weather conditions (last winter’s snow in parts of the country was a point in case, with stranded train crews being helicoptered out), permanent railway problems such as cracked rail and signalling hiccups. In such situations, monitors are initially informed by staff on the ground at the particular incident. Transnet Rail Engineering and the Infrastructure Team would be advised in the case of a derailment, for instance.

Each level informed of the irregularity issues a reference number of the occurrence and the information trail passes to the particular corridor manager and then the duty manager. The latter is in essence the ‘incident commander’ who follows up on who and what needs to be deployed to the scene relative to the specific problem. This is only one aspect of what is termed Deviation Management. It is a broad-spectrum process and in a 24, 48 and 72-hour review, the source of any deviation from the planned train movements is analysed.

Deviations might be as mundane as the customer failing to load their wagons timeously; the wagons not being cleaned in time for the loading client or the customer having an operational glitch which has not enabled the wagons to be loaded as expected. A few months back, for example, the NCC had to deal with the unexpected ‘curve ball’ of Newcastle’s furnace blast and that particular customer requiring the Vanderbijlpark complex picking up the transport load.

The NCC had to review train movements (wagon availability, types of motive power, crew familiarisation with the motive power, etc.) according to the customer’s proposed crisis management solution. In the case of a route closure, sometimes traffic can be diverted along other rail sections with careful,

alternative planning, but TFR acknowledges that there are also times when it has to bite the bullet financially with lost custom. The majority of potential problems and problem-solving by TFR personnel is still handled manually, with only the coal export corridor having computer intervention, but only to a limited, and certainly not a ‘fix-all’, degree.

Staff working at the four geographical corridor terminals – in the dimmed-light, eerie control centre – are on duty for 12 hours at a time. Huge, wall-mounted screens rotate images of things happening there and then on the rail system.

Even sobering visuals of previous train collisions come to be placed on one of the panels as a psychological reminder to the floor staff ‘to keep one’s act sharp’! Prior to each shift change, a handover period of one hour is built in. The handover briefing includes a monitoring report, i.e. the current situation in the field, a recovery plan to return traffic movements to the initial operations plan and a coordination of any line incidents.

A really impressive facility All in all, one comes away reflecting that TFR’s hub in Parktown is certainly impressive, manned by professional staff who are overtly passionate about what they contribute to the efficacy of the centre and its round-the-clock function nationally. Senior management seeks to achieve safely 219 million tonnes in the 2011/12 financial year – general freight business 89 mt, export coal 74 mt and export iron ore 56 mt. This desire represents at least a 17% increase in volumes from the previous financial year. Staff members were noticed wearing motivational ‘219 Safely’ printed T-shirts!

Seeing the NCC first-hand did, however, trigger a most daunting thought: in the light of pressure on government to separate TFR into infrastructure on one side and allow private operators onto TFR’s lines on the other, one does wonder what a huge challenge – a nightmarish paradigm shift – would be imposed on the management and staff of this very specialised, well-honed in-house ‘railway nerve centre’.

The control centre incorporates the complex planning and operational management of four regions

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 20

M ATERIALS H ANDLING

Improving port performance Doing it better and faster, and being consistently more reliable than your competitors, is the means to building a sustainable business and securing the future. By Tony Stone

S

ince containerisation emerged to revolutionise freight transport in 1976, turnaround time has been the key indicator of a port’s capability and ability to maintain high levels of productivity and performance management in servicing port users. The most important objective for a port’s container terminal is to increase its throughput and reduce the amount of time a vessel spends in port.

Achieving this objective is dependent on the effectiveness of allocating and scheduling key resources, such as quay cranes, yard cranes, berths and trucks. And, to do this effectively, careful planning and efficient organisation is required so that queue build up and congestion costs are avoided. For the shipper, vessel turnaround time relates directly to berthing costs and increment voyage costs for the vessel itself. For the customer, within the entire supply chain process, high turnaround time ultimately translates into lower input costs and a lower goods price for the customer’s customer.

Now, with globalisation an entrenched reality, trade and the subsequent breakdown in trade barriers, growth in marine transport is at an all time high, and growing. This has led to fierce competition between port operators to attract port users who, by default,

bring with them all the accompanying economic benefits. Therefore, port operators must achieve shorter turnaround times for vessels in order to benchmark high productivity and performance. At the same time, berthing costs need to be competitive and kept as low as possible.

In southern Africa, South Africa has had it all its own way for many decades, while civil war and conflict raged in Namibia, Angola and Mozambique. Now that peace prevails in these countries, they are rebuilding their economies

We would do well to remember that the shortest route is not always the best route. However, if it is efficient and cost effective, it will be.

Slowest, yet the most expensive A recent study by the Ports Regulator, looking at port costs and productivity, revealed Durban to be the most expensive among 12 international ports researched. This was at a time when Transnet’s National Ports Authority (TNPA) was applying for an 11.91% tariff increase for the 2011/12 financial year.

Total marine and infrastructure costs for an average container vessel visiting the Durban port once a month amount to $182 151.30, compared with an average of $86 251.58 at the other 11 ports. After Durban, the second and third most expensive ports are in the USA. Long Beach, California, charges $175 230.48 and Los Angeles charges $164 431.77. The cheapest ports are Kaohsiung in Taiwan, with a total fee of $18 609.65 per tanker per visit, and Antwerp at $25 605.46.

Although Durban has the highest port costs, its productivity is, according to Transnet’s acting chief executive, Chris Wells, 30 container shifts per hour (this number was 21 a year ago), compared with Antwerp’s 94 container shifts an hour. According to Wells, container shifts at Cape Town and Ngqura are between 25 and 26 an hour. The research is available for public comment on the Ports Regulator’s website.

The solution So, the question is, how do we increase productivity? Besides labour and management issues, port container terminals need to enhance their planning and operational capabilities by deploying innovative materials handling equipment and state-of-the-art technology in order to optimise the container terminal logistic process. That much is clear.

The other, perhaps more important, thing is attitude – worker attitude, shaped by an understanding of what productivity is, and means, and why it is necessary. If we are to compete with the rest of the world and soar with eagles, we can’t afford to flap around with the turkeys.

We also need to remember that there are two harbours up the west coast and another two up the east coast that are gearing up to become serious competitors. This is not the time to be complacent.

Vessel turnaround time relates directly to berthing costs and increment voyage costs and, along with that, road, rail, port and airline infrastructure. South Africa’s ports will soon be facing stiff competition from the Port of Walvis Bay, the Port of Luanda and the Port of Maputo as they develop and promote their transport corridors to Africa’s interior. Even the Port of Dar es Salaam is gearing up to take on the rest of southern Africa. When these ports are geared up and running, South Africa will no longer be the ‘gateway’ to Africa.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 21

LOWEST COST PER PALLET INTERESTED? www.youtube.com/LindeSouthAfrica

M ATERIALS H ANDLING

Beyond limitations A product continuously improved delivers a value way beyond human capability.

L

iquids in motion or under pressure did useful work for humanity many centuries before Blaise Pascal and Daniel Bernoulli formulated the laws on which modern hydraulic-power technology is based.

The City of London, in 1882, built the first hydraulic system, which delivered pressurised water through street mains to drive machinery in factories. In 1906, an important advance in hydraulic techniques was made when a hydraulic system, using oil rather than water, was installed to raise and control the guns of the USS ‘Virginia’. In the 1920s, self-contained hydraulic units consisting of a pump, controls and motor were developed.

The next quantum leap came in 1960 at the Hanover Trade Fair when Linde First unveiled the Hubtrac forklift truck with its bipedal Hydrostatic Drive System. Today, this technology has brought about substantial gains in productivity, with the associated reductions in costs, and applications in moving delicate foodstuffs and medical supplies to extreme operating conditions(such as brick fields and mines) are the norm, even in smelting plants where, with specially-fitted, heat resistant components, it functions effectively.

In transport, with the advent of containerisation in the 1960s, lifting and moving loaded shipping containers with a crane provided some degree of productivity gain, but not enough.

More versatile, mobile technology was needed.

This is where Linde’s original Hubtrac forklift truck and its more advanced successors come in.The hydrostatic drive is at the heart of every internal combustion-engine Linde forklift truck in the lifting capacity range of up to 18 tonnes.

It is inseparably linked to the trucks’ sensitive, precise driving and lifting characteristics, as well as its economical fuel consumption and ease of maintenance. Even though the principle behind hydrostatic drive has not changed right up to the

present day, the development engineers at Linde MH have made crucial technical improvements time and time again.

Since the 1970s, Linde MH has used axialpiston motors, which are characterised by highpressure capability and adjustability, to convert the mechanical energy of the internal combustion engine into hydraulic energy. At around the same time, the company’s engineers moved away from bent-axis pumps to swash plate pumps and motors, and thus created the precondition for more compact installation dimensions, a longer service life and a very high power density.

Moving forward, since the mid-1980s, the swash plate pumps and motors have been used in all Linde truck applications, both in open (lifting hydraulics) and closed (traction hydraulics) oil circulation systems. Numerous other functions were standardised and integrated in the early 1990s, with the introduction of the 02 series of modern axial-piston machines of swash plate design.

In 2002, the 39x-series of forklift trucks represented a decisive breakthrough in terms of speed reduction, which led to a saving in gear

FROM TOP Today’s low-speed motors reduce noise, fuel consumption and emissions Fifty-years of success - left: the Hubtrac H3K; right: the 39X-series Linde H25 speed and therefore made the drive not only quieter and less prone to wear, but also more energy-efficient. Many hydraulics experts were amazed at the power density and precision achieved with swash plate drives. In practice, swash plate drives proved superior to their radial-piston counterparts, in which the main pistons, in contrast to an axial-piston pump, are arranged vertically (radial) to, rather than parallel (axial) with, the drive shaft.

With the introduction of the fourth generation hydrostatic system, Linde is asserting its position as a technological leader, e.g. the two slow-running hydraulic motors, which have been integrated into the compact drive axle, drive the drive wheels directly (without speed reduction gears).

Linde's Hydrostatic innovative performance improvements over the last 50 years

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 23

M ATERIALS H ANDLING DURBAN CONTAINER TERMINAL

Reaching new milestones The Port of Durban, having lost a little wind, is getting back on course. The upgraded container terminal, newly-acquired modern materials handling equipment and a few more hands on deck should make all the difference.

T

ransnet Port Terminals (TPT) celebrated a milestone in its ambitious plan of normalising operations to levels similar to those experienced by customers prior to the NAVIS system launch. The plan includes accelerated spend of CAPEX, an increase in gangs to a total of 15 by next year and improving the Reefer capacity.

Speaking at a gathering of stakeholders, Transnet Port Terminals Container Sector acting chief operations officer, Velile Dube, told the audience that this was the first of many milestones on the way to making Durban Container Terminal (DCT) an efficient and competitive business that served the needs

24 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

of its stakeholders. As part of Transnet Port Terminals’ 2011 accelerated capital expenditure plan, 28 Straddle Carriers (Straddles) have been purchased for DCT at an estimated total cost of R205 million. These include 14 Straddles that have twin-lift capability.

“We commissioned four of these Straddles and the delivery of the remainder will be rolled out until December 2011. We intend to complete the assembly of the second batch of eight Straddles by end October,” says DCT Terminal executive, Hector Danisa.

Straddles are a crucial piece of equipment in a container operation environment, in both the water-side and land-side aspect of the

M ATERIALS H ANDLING

MAIN IMAGE Durban Harbour's container terminal OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT Terminal executive for Durban Container Terminal (DCT), Hector Danisa (in the yellow safety jacket), with three of the 70 trainee operators of lifting equipment (OLEs), all of whom have undergone a certification process LEFT Aerial view of Durban Harbour

terminal. The new Straddles are ‘four-high’ machines, which mean that they can hold up to four containers in a stack and will add great value to the stack capacity of the terminal. The addition of the 28 Straddles will also enable the terminal to improve its productivity levels considerably over the next year. Current plans are to have a total of 113 Straddles in operation by January 2012.

TPT also unveiled a new refrigerated container yard (known as the ‘Reefer’ yard) at DCT Pier 2, which consists of 232 container slots valued at R9 million. This Reefer yard is the first at DCT to stack four containers high with a Straddle operation. The layout and design of

the Reefer yard has easily-accessible walkways, which makes the operation safer for the operator and reduces the risk of damaging electric cables. Ultimately, the new yard will have a capacity of 1 068 Reefers, allowing the terminal to meet customer expectations during the next Reefer season.

Furthermore, TPT recruited 70 operators of lifting equipment (OLE) trainees in July, all of whom have undergone a certification process, with 68 OLEs to be releases to operations by next week. An additional 70 have been recruited and they too will be certified after four months. This recruitment drive is implemented with the objective of

equipping DCT with 15 gangs by next year and includes cross training of OLEs to operate ship-to-shore cranes.

Included in the milestones highlighted at DCT is the roll-out of the Pre-Advice System, effective 1 October 2011. The system will become mandatory at DCT on 1 February 2012. This system is already successfully in operation at Ngqura Container Terminal. It will be phased in at DCT Pier 1 and 2 over a three month period.

According to Danisa, TPT will continue to engage with the shipping lines and industry at large with regards to the implementation of the pre-advice service. The follow-up to this project will be a Truck Booking system, planned for rollout in 2012, which, as the name suggests, will release containers to the truckers based on an appointment process, further enhancing the flow in the terminal.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 25

P ROJECT O PPORTUNITIES

BURKINA FASO

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

EGYPT

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

ETHIOPIA

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

GABON

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

KENYA

Project Description Status Funding Implementing agency Project

26 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

Cankuzo – Muyinga Road Project Contractors are invited to submit bids to build and asphalt 60 km of National Road No. 19 from Cankuzo to Muyinga. Works include the installation of drainage infrastructure and the construction of a bridge over the Ruvubu River.

Tendering. Deadline for submissions: 24 January 2012 European Development Fund (EDF) Roads Department Tel +257 2222 2940 • Fax +257 2222 0959

Construction of Greater Cairo Metro Network Consultants are invited to prequalify to provide supervision services for the construction of the third phase of the Greater Cairo Metro Network Line 3 (17 km) between Attaba Square and Kit Kat, with branches to Embaba and the Ring Road, and to Boulak El Dakrour and Cairo University.

Tendering. Deadline for submissions: 13 November 2011 European Development Fund (EDF) National Authority for Tunnels Tel: +202 2574 2968 • Fax: +202 2574 2950

Mombasa – Nairobi – Addis Ababa Road Corridor Project (Phase III) Contractors are invited to prequalify for the following road rehabilitation contracts: • Contract 1: Hawassa – Chuko (66 km) • Contract 2: Chuko – Yirgachefe (60 km) • Contract 3: Yirgachefe – Ageremariam (72 km).

Tendering. Deadline for submissions: 11 November 2011 African Development Fund Ethiopian Roads Authority Tel: +251 11 551 5002 • Fax: +251 11 551 0082

Road Programme (Phase 2) Project The programme is aimed at opening up production zones within the country and boosting regional trade. Specifically, it will help improve the movement of goods and people on the Libreville – Tchibanga road and on the road/river link between Port Gentil, Lambaréné and Ndjolé. Contractors and consultants will be required to carry out the following tasks: • upgrading of three roads: Mouilla – Ndendé (70 km), Ndendé – Tchibanga (85 km) and Port Gentil – Mandorové (34 km) • resurfacing of 74 km of rural roads • construction of a road terminal and weighing station at Mbadi • construction of two footbridges • rehabilitation and construction of five river docks • a study on the restructuring of the road sub-sector • a study on road construction costs in Gabon • a feasibility study on the Lambaréné River port.

Funding approved African Development Bank Ministry of Public Works and Equipment Tel: +241 722 209 • Fax: +241 722 342

Mombasa – Nairobi – Addis Ababa Road Corridor Project (Phase III) Contractors are invited to tender for the upgrading of the Turbi – Moyale Road (A2). The contract includes bridge building and installation of drainage infrastructure.

Tendering. Deadline for submissions: 30 November 2011 African Development Fund Kenya National Highways Authority Tel: +254 20 801 3842 • Fax: +254 20 271 5483 Mombasa – Nairobi – Addis Ababa Road Corridor Project (Phase III)

P ROJECT O PPORTUNITIES

KENYA

Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

MADAGASCAR

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

MAURITANIA

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

TANZANIA

Project Description

Status Funding Implementing agency

Consultants are invited to submit expressions of interest to carry out the following tasks for the rehabilitation of the Mombasa Northern Bypass.

• preparation of a feasibility study • preparation of an environmental impact assessment • preparation of a social impact assessment • preparation of a resettlement action plan • preliminary and detailed design • preparation of tender documentation for works contracts.

Tendering. Deadline for submissions: 9 November 2011 International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Kenya National Highways Authority Tel: +254 20 801 3842 • Fax: +254 20 271 5483

Transport Project The project will include: • rehabilitation of the Northern Railway Network, including rehabilitation of 70 km of rail track, construction of rail access sidings and rehabilitation of metallic bridges.

• installation of mobile weighing facilities to preserve road assets • construction of jetties • urban road works, including rehabilitation of tunnels.

Planning International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Ministry of Public Works and Meteorology Tel: +261 20 222 3215 • Fax: +261 20 222 4321

Nouakchott Port Development Project The project involves the extension of the port of Nouakchott while improving the environmental impact of the port’s initial construction and development. Components include: • construction of a container terminal • construction of new quays specifically aimed at oil, bulk and general cargo traffic.

Planning International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Port Autonome de Nouakchott (PANPA) Tel: +222 525 3859 • Fax: +222 251 794

Transport Sector Support Project Contractors and consultants will be sought to carry out the following tasks: • rehabilitation of the Korogwe – Same road (172 km) and the Arusha – Minjingu road (98 km) • supervision services for the above contracts • preparation of design and bidding documents for the rehabilitation of a further 911 km of paved trunk roads • paving and rehabilitation of runways and aprons at the Bukoba, Kigoma and Tabora airports • feasibility studies for potential PPP projects and transaction advisory services.

General procurement notice issued; specific procurement notices will be issued in due course International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Tanzania National Roads Agency Tel: +255 22 215 257 • Fax: +255 22 215 002

NB: Projects with imminent closing dates for submission of bids are listed to alert readers to subcontracting opportunities.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 27

S UPPLY C HAIN FMCG INDUSTRY PART TWO

The role of supply chain management Five basic SCM planning approaches are studied, with the desired benefits of an increase in customer service levels, a reduction in inventory levels, better use of available resources, reliable order quotations and the reduction of planning efforts. By Madhu Bala, Dr Shakti Prakash and Dr Dinesh Kumar

T

hese SCM planning approaches are as follows: • Concurrent planning: Simultaneously address capacity and material issues: • Capacity issues: to produce goods, store goods and deliver goods.

• Material issues: obtaining necessary raw materials to produce goods.

• Safety stock issues: maintaining inventories to respond to different sources of uncertainty.

• Continual planning: Variable horizons allow near-term detailed execution plans to mesh seamlessly with coarse, longer-term master plans.

Constraint management: Constraints can be hard or soft: • Hard: If violated, the plan cannot be executed.

• Soft: If violated, the plan can be executed, but will have some undesirable aspects.

• Global visibility: The supply chain planner should possess detailed and continually updated information about the status of the entire supply chain.

• Erroneous re-planning efforts can occur if there is pure backwards or forwards propagation.

Sales and operations (S&OP) planning support: S&OP is a collaborative, cross-functional, monthly process designed to reach consensus

on a single operating plan that allocates critical resources (capacity, materials, people, time and money) to most effectively meet demand in a profitable way.

SCM elements and levels The relationship between the supply chain functions and the planning elements for a FMCG supply chain with reference to strategic, tactical, operational and scheduling levels are analysed. These levels refer to different planning time frames and horizons across the business functions. The relationships involve the various supply chain activities linked to the supply chain functions (see figure 1).

SCC defines the supply chain planning levels (up to level 3) for a FMCG organisation as follows, based on its SCOR model. Numerous FMCG companies (such as P&G, Unilever and SABMiller) are using the SCOR model to design and define their supply chain models.

SCM organisation structure • Five different types of organisation structure are possible for a FMCG supply chain: • Decentralised: Authority and responsibility are dispersed throughout the business units.

• Centre-led: This is a hybrid model with

strategic activities centralised and execution decentralised.

• Centre of excellence: Develop best practice and disseminate this to business units with limited implementation support.

• Shared services: This refers to common repetitive processes for multiple business units, centralised with service level agreement (SLA) and chargeback mechanism.

• Centralised: Authority and responsibility are assigned to a central organisation. Resources can be located at operations.

Supply chain risk management Supply chain risk is any strategic uncertainty or potential disruptive event that affects the flow of information, material or final products across organisational borders, resulting in the inability to meet customer demand. \The categories of supply chain risks are (see figure 2): • The four-step approach of supply chain risk management (SCRM) includes: • Identify the risks.

• Design a strategy to eliminate the risks.

• Implement the strategy.

• Monitor the progress.

SCM collaboration One of the key issues with FMCG supply chains is the bullwhip effect. In fighting against bullwhip, the first step is creating a quality forecast.

However, the next step is to share it with partners along the supply chain. Four collaborative practices exist: • quick response • continuous replenishment • vendor-managed inventory • collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment.

The potential collaboration opportunities between suppliers and manufacturers, identified FIGURE 1 The inter-relationships between supply chain activities and supply chain functions

28 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

S UPPLY C HAIN

for a FMCG company, are listed below: • production schedules • manufacturing sales forecast • manufacturing inventories • manufacturing material requirements • supplier inventories • supplier product availability • product design and specs • new product calendars • material/component catalogue • subcontracting terms and conditions • product costing.

The potential collaboration opportunities between manufacturers and customers, identified for a FMCG company, are listed below: • customer pricing plan • customer promotional plan • customer finished goods inventory • manufacturing consumer promotional calendar • manufacturing raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods inventory • manufacturing product introduction schedule • manufacturing production capacities • assortment planning • retail store layout and shelf space planning.

Conclusion

Demand

Supply

Vulnerability Process

Control Mitigation/ contingency

unique in terms of its characteristics and owing to the virtue of its processes, components and typology. The industry is faced with a unique set of challenges, most of which relate to the planning and distribution segments of the supply chain.

The role of SCM is analysed in this two-paper series with respect to five planning approaches – concurrent, continual, constraint, global visibility and S&OP. These five approaches are

FIGURE 2 The categories of supply chain risks then looked at in terms of elements and levels, organisation structure, risk management and collaboration opportunities in a FMCG supply chain. The benefits indicated are an increase in customer service levels, a reduction in inventory levels, better use of available resources, reliable order quotations and the reduction of planning efforts.

THE

In summary, the supply chains are playing a significant role in defining the competitiveness of an organisation and FMCG companies are also joining the bandwagon. The FMCG industry is

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F UEL & T YRES

Factors affecting truck fuel economy As a vehicle travels down a road, there are a number of factors that contribute to the amount of fuel it will use in getting from point A to point B. The main parameters are vehicle weight, aerodynamic drag, mechanical losses and tyre rolling resistance.

A

lthough tyres are just one of these factors, they can affect up to a third of the vehicle’s total fuel consumption. As each tyre on a vehicle rolls down the road, it creates a drag force. It is composed of the energy loss created by the deflections of the tyre sidewall and the movements, compression and deformation of the tyre tread in the footprint at the road’s surface. This drag force is called rolling resistance and can be measured very accurately in a laboratory (see figure 1).

Aerodynamics and speed A vehicle’s aerodynamics and its travelling speed have an extremely large effect on how much fuel is consumed. The force created by the aerodynamic drag of a vehicle increases exponentially with the speed of the vehicle.

Tyre rolling resistance increases linearly with speed, but tyres are a proportionally smaller percentage of the total drag on a vehicle as the speed increases (see figure 2).

a 5% difference in rolling resistance, which may result in significant fuel cost increase (see example below). For optimum rolling resistance, it is important to have the tyres inflated correctly, as recommended for the respective axle loads. In addition, underinflation may have negative effects on tyre durability.

• Fuel difference per truck based on: 150 000 km/year – €1 (R10.86)/l – 35 l/100 km (see figure 4).

• 1 bar under-inflation in every tyre can cost €900 (R9 770) of fuel per year and the carcass can be lost for retreading.

Wheel alignment Incorrect vehicle alignment may drastically influence rolling resistance and consequently

FIGURE 1

Other factors Ambient air temperature, weather conditions, road surfaces (sand, gravel, asphalt, concrete) and terrain (flat, hilly or mountainous) are environmental factors that are impossible to control but have a direct effect on fuel consumption.

Vehicle configuration On a typical 40 t, 5 axle truck, each axle contributes to a portion of the total vehicle tyre rolling resistance. Drive and trailer axles combined contribute about 83% of the total tyre rolling resistance. To minimise the vehicle’s fuel consumption, it is recommended to equip all axles with low rolling resistance, fuelefficient tyres. The contribution of tyres to the total energy required to move a vehicle down the road is dependent on the effects of many outside factors, which include (see figure 3): • Tyre inflation.

• Tyre rolling resistance is heavily dependent on inflation pressure. A 1 bar deviation from the nominal inflation pressure could lead to

30 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

FIGURE 2

fuel consumption. If any of the wheels on a 12-wheel tractor and trailer are not properly aligned, the total drag on the vehicle increases. There is greater ‘scrub’ of the tyres against the road surface and, potentially, greater aerodynamic drag when the tractor and trailer are not tracking parallel to the direction of travel.

The example below of a 3-axle trailer shows that correct vehicle alignment helps to optimise fuel economy (see figure 5).

Driving style The driving habits or ‘style’ of the operator of a vehicle can have a very large influence on the amount of fuel consumed. Aggressive driving can wipe out many of the gains obtained from investments in fuel-efficient tyres and engines, aerodynamic devices or synthetic lubricants.

FIGURE 3

F UEL & T YRES

comments concerning factors affecting tyre rolling resistance: • Rib type tyres are better on rolling resistance than block type; this is mainly due to less movement of the tread in the contact patch area.

• Low aspect ratio tyres are stiffer, allowing for less flexing under load, so they typically have lower rolling resistance compared to high aspect ratio tyres.

• Worn tyres have less rolling resistance than new tyres: as a truck tyre wears down, the tread pattern stiffens, which leads to less flexing/deformation in the tread area.

The use of fuel-efficient tyres on all axle positions can make a significant difference in fuel consumption. A reduction of 10% of rolling resistance on a complete vehicle results in approximately 3% reduced fuel consumption (approximately 0.9 ℓ/100 km on a vehicle that consumes 30 ℓ/100 km).

10% tyre rolling resistance decrease (all axles) = 3% fuel economy

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

Example

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 7

However, today’s modern automated truck drivelines tend to reduce the effects that drivers can have on fuel economy while driving, further increasing the saving potential of adequate tyres. With today’s technology, it is possible to measure accurately the amount of fuel an engine uses over a period of time, allowing for programmes to be set up to reward drivers for good fuel efficiency (see figure 6).

Fuel efficient truck tyres Goodyear’s modern truck and bus tyres are developed to provide optimum fuel efficiency.

Most of the gains in fuel efficiency can be obtained from the crown area of the tyre (tread compound, tread design and/or the tread depth, belt package). The crown area contributes about 75% of the tyre rolling resistance, sidewall and bead areas for about 25%. This is also why using the optimum inflation pressure is very important: it makes the tread area deform just enough to carry the load and avoids unnecessary tread movement generating heat, and consequently rolling resistance (see figure 7).

General considerations In addition to the recommended use of specific ‘fuel-efficient’ tyres, here are a few general

A standard 40 t truck, with average fuel consumption of 30 ℓs/100 km, yearly mileage of 150 000 km, fuel price €1/ℓ, equipped with ‘standard’ tyres: • Yearly fuel cost: 1 500 (100 km) x 30 ℓ/100 km x €1 = €45 000 • The same truck equipped with ‘fuel-efficient’ tyres (10% reduced rolling resistance) • Yearly fuel cost: 1 500 (100 km) x 29.1 ℓ/100 km x €1 = €43 650 • Potential saving: €1 350 per year per truck.

Summary We cannot influence road conditions, but the use of low rolling resistance, fuel-efficient tyres, in combination with good vehicle and tyre maintenance, as well as adequate driving style, allows fleets to minimise truck fuel consumption compared to with the use of ‘standard tyres’ on the same vehicles or same operations.

With today’s fluctuating fuel prices, as well as more and more restrictive emission legislations, fuel consumption is a major economical and ecological factor in transport operations.

Goodyear’s modern, fuel-efficient truck and bus tyres provide an ideal option to: • maximise fleet efficiency • minimise cost per kilometre • reduce CO2 emissions.

Acknowledgements: Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Holdings (Pty) Ltd

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 31

M OTOR S HOW

Johannesburg International Motor Show Technology advances in the global truck market

1

I

n any discussion on the current state of the art in vehicle technology, there is little differentiation between its relevance to cars, trucks and buses, although the taking up of new technology can vary quite substantially between the three vehicle categories. This is driven mainly by economic imperatives, and when a measurable benefit from change can be reflected in reduced operational costs, the commercial side of the business is sure to be quicker off the mark.

So, the full gambit of alternative fuel internal combustion engines, hybrid drivelines, and allelectric vehicles is well-represented in the truck manufacturing industry, although most of these have tended to find early acceptance in shorterdistance operations such as urban delivery and refuse collection. Some of this technology was on display at the Johannesburg Truck & Bus Show at Expo Centre in October.

Volvo Trucks, however, recently launched an extended range version of its FM model, which runs on a variable combination of diesel fuel and up to 75% methane, with a potential operating range of 500 km, while grossing 40 t.

4

32 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

2

3 This development creates greater potential to use gas-fuelled trucks in heavy long-haul operations than has previously been the case.

Compared with conventional gas-powered spark ignition engines, Volvo claims that this technology is 30 to 40% more efficient, and uses 25% less fuel. The methane component can be made up of either biogas or liquefied natural gas.

However, advancing technology is not limited to radical changes in propulsion systems.

State-of-the-art trucks incorporate a great deal of safety and convenience technology, while developments in conventional diesel engine and transmission designs are producing unprecedented levels of fuel efficiency, clean emissions and productivity.

Mercedes-Benz’ new Actros flagship, announced in June, cost more than €1 billion

1

FAW

2

DAF

3

Hino

4

MAN

(about R10.86 billion) to develop, and provides an excellent example of current industry design philosophy, as the following features clearly illustrate.

Power for the new Actros is provided by the first European application of Daimler’s global Heavy Duty Engine Platform family, which has been progressively rolled out since 2007. This 12.8 ℓ diesel is designated OM 471 and is configured with six cylinders in line, representing a significant departure from Mercedes’ recent use of Vee-format engines in its most powerful road trucks.

It also sports an amplified common-rail X-PULSE multiple event fuel injection system, synthetic sump, compacted graphite one-piece cylinder head, double overhead

7

5

6

camshafts, four valves per cylinder, threestage 400 kW (544 hp) exhaust brake, asymmetric fixed-geometry turbocharger and twincylinder air compressor. Euro 6 compliance, compulsory after January 2013, is achieved through a combination of cooled exhaust gas recirculation, particulate filter and urea-based selective catalytic reduction.

Mercedes says that more than 2 600 hours of wind tunnel development have gone into the new Actros design, and that this has contributed significantly to improved fuel economy outcomes. Intended exclusively for line-haul operation, the new Actros offers no less than seven cab configurations.

Five of these feature a completely flat floor to facilitate crew movement within the cab, while those with an engine ‘tunnel’ only have a nominal 170 mm of intrusion. The fully galvanised cab is 2.3 m in length and options include four roof and two width profiles, with the rangetopping GigaSpace version offering an internal volume of 11.6 m³ and 2.13 m of headroom, within an overall height of almost 4 m.

The other cab configurations are labelled ClassicSpace, StreamSpace and BigSpace, while a massage function will be available on Mercedes’ in-house-developed driver’s seat from 2012. The cab is fully aerodynamic and the standard rooftop deflectors can be adjusted to suit bodies and trailers of up to 4.6 m in overall height. The air management system also controls the airflow under the vehicle, while the wheel arches have been designed to suppress spray and reduce wind resistance.

Driver assistance features include the new, unique Proximity Control Assist system to take the irritation out of continuous starting and stopping in traffic jams, adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping Assist, Stability Control Assist and Active Brake Assist. Crew comfort is enhanced through air conditioning, automatic climate control and auxiliary air conditioning.

Because of its defined long-distance mission, it comes as no surprise that the new Actros is only available with Mercedes’ Powershift 12-speed direct-top automated transmission, 5 8

Hyundai 6 Power Star TATA 9 UD 10 Scania

7

in G211 or G281 versions. This has permitted the use of a steering-column-mounted transmission control stalk, providing unimpeded cross-cab movement and removing the need for any holes in the cab floor for gear linkages or cables, which assists with cab insulation from heat and noise.

The Powershift gearbox now incorporates a crawler function, enabling slow-speed manoeuvring without accelerator inputs, and is available with various optimised software programmes to suit differing application profiles.

Front uspension options are steel or air, while the Mercedes-Benz HL6 hypoid drive rear axle is air suspended. The optional threestage engine brake delivers 400 kW (544 hp) of retardation, while an optional water secondary retarder can provide an additional 750 kW of braking force. The European market Actros is available in 4x2 and 6x2 versions, with the non-driven rear axle positioned either ahead of or behind the drive axle. Available fuel tank capacities range from 290 to 1 300 ℓ.

While this new Actros is state of the art in every way imaginable, it does present as a less radical step forward than did the original bearer of the name back in 1996. The first Actros was greatly admired, but suffered some early marketing setbacks because of its advanced specification, and Daimler will have been careful not to repeat that situation.

Despite the carryover name, the manufacturer insists that this is a cleansheet design, with every feature and component

8

9 optimised, although some will be seen as logical developments of aggregates used in earlier models.

The new Actros has been subjected to five years and around 20 million kilometres of ‘realworld’ testing, in areas as diverse as the Arctic Circle and South Africa. The design life of the engine before major overhaul has been set at 1.2 million kilometres.

10

Mitsubishi

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 33

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P RODUCT N EWS

Gone green with speed Some just talk while others get on and do. This is the story of one that does. By Tony Stone

D

HL, an international courier company, recently opened the doors of its new logistics facility in Midrand. On the face of it there was nothing too significant about this event other than appreciating that it will enable them to achieve greater levels of efficiency which, no doubt in the courier business, is all important. However, after listening to their MD, Michael Druce, say a few words, it became clear that they had in fact achieved somewhat more than the obvious process efficiencies of quicker turnaround times. Their fleet of 15 VW Caddy panel vans had been converted to run on either petrol or compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative to petrol. And, to alternate between the two fuels, all that is necessary is a flick of a switch.

Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) that use compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), as a clean alternative to traditional fossil fuels are not new. Worldwide, there were 12.7 million NGVs by the end of 2010.

Existing petrol or diesel engines may be converted to use of CNG or LPG. An increasing number of vehicles worldwide are being manufactured to run on CNG, including some of the major vehicle brands – VW being one.

As a leading British motor group says, there’s not much the Caddy can’t shift. The powerful 104PS TDI PD engine, with 250 Nm of torque, is designed to take the strain and get things moving. So you can benefit from the Caddy van’s generous 724 kg payload, or its trailer weight of up to 1 425 kg. Even when fully loaded, the Caddy is well balanced and never feels out of control.

than petrol or diesel. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, CNG can reduce carbonmonoxide emissions by 90 to 97% and nitrogen-oxide emissions by 35 to 60% when compared with petrol and/or diesel. CNG can also potentially reduce non-methane hydrocarbon emissions by 50 to 75%, while producing fewer carcinogenic pollutants and little or no particulate matter.

And, the cherry on the top is that CNG is cheaper to buy than petrol or diesel.

One 2007 study in the United States found that natural gas deposits are sufficient to supply 118 years’ of U.S. demand at 2007 levels.

Natural gas is similarly abundant around the world. Essentially, it is as abundant as oil was 50 years ago, primarily because it has not yet been exploited on a large scale. Such abundance means that it is likely to cost much less than oil.

“The NGV industry is mature and commercially viable in many countries. More than 50 vehicle manufacturers are now producing factory-built, natural gas vehicles,” says the International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles’ secretary-general, Dr Garth Harris.”

Seems like it is the way to go.

Existing petrol or diesel engines may be converted to use CNG or LPG With front and rear anti-roll bars, supple suspension and car-like handling, the Caddy takes every road surface in its stride, ensuring that both load and driver always arrive safely. The Caddy is designed to more than measure up to your expectations.

Packed with practicality, the load compartment combines versatile access with masses of load space.

In line with DHL’s target to improve its carbon efficiency by 30%, by 2020, the company has chosen to go the VW Caddy, CNG route.

It is expected that their fleet of NGVs will reduce carbon emissions by at least 30 to 35%, perhaps more.

CNG is much c l e a n e r- b u r n i n g Michael Druce, CEO, DHL

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 35

P RODUCT N EWS

Tough molecules protect engine With the effects of global warming ever more present, energy saving and emission reductions are hot topics. Increasingly, truckers are being drawn into the science of fuel and lubricants. But, there’s another justification – profit.

F

uel is a huge input cost for truckers, and because of this they have to look very carefully at minimising fuel and maintenance costs per kilometer travelled. To do this, they need to consider a number of factors. Driver behaviour is one, the condition of road infrastructure is another, and climate is an all-important factor. But, the heart of the matter is the truck’s engine. Precision engineered, the engine will deliver against expectation if it is well maintained and if the right fuel and lubricants are used. This ‘potjie’ brew demands that truckers be a little more scientific.

particularly in highly stressed areas of the engine, and thereby reduce wear. This in turn helps to control emissions and extend oil

Lubricants A heavy-duty diesel engine oil, to lubricate the engine, needs to work relentlessly in three critical areas: • Acid control – well-proven performance additives help to protect against corrosion from acids formed as fuel burns.

• Deposit control – helps to keep the engine clean for consistent performance and long life.

• Wear control – keeps moving metal engine surfaces apart for long engine life.

This requires a lubricant that meets the physical and chemical needs of an engine under ever-changing conditions, no matter how hot, cold, steep, dusty, muddy or extended a trucker’s operations may be.

How does it do this?

A well-constituted lubricant will contribute to the efficient operations of an engine by preventing hot spots, which typically form when a poorlyconstituted lubricant breaks down.

Shell’s Rimula R6 LME has special molecules that resist compression and keep moving parts separated,

36 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

Developed in close co-operation with leading engine and vehicle manufacturers drainage intervals, which results in less waste oil and lowers fuel usage.

Low emissions - Emission control is not only important to ensure that your vehicle complies with legislative requirements, it also ensures that your engine runs efficiently. For example, blocked diesel particulate filters (DPF) can actually increase fuel consumption. Shell Rimula R6 LME is formulated to reduce levels of ash and sulphur to help maintain the efficiency of the latest, and future, engine technologies such as Euro 4 and 5 engines and the coming introduction of the Euro 6 engine.

Mercedes-Benz, MAN and other original Specifications • SAE viscosity grade: 5W-30 Approvals • ACEA: E6 and E7 • Cummins: CES 20077 • MAN: M3477 • Mercedes Benz: Approval 228.51

equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have tested Shell Rimula R6 LME for reduced sulphur and phosphorus content and have given their nod of approval.

Energy savings - The fuel consumption of a vehicle is a significant business input cost. Shell, in developing its Rimula R6 LME in close co-operation with leading engine and vehicle makers, find that it not only delivers fuel economy benefits, but also meets the durability and performance demands of the latest low-emissions equipment. In trials carried out on a fleet of trucks operating for a leading UK supermarket, customers confirmed that Shell Rimula R6 LME realised up to 2.0% fuel savings over a 100 000 km oil drain interval, compared with a typical 10W-40 oil.

Maintenance savings - Shell Rimula R6 LME was developed in conjunction with leading engine makers and delivers exceptional piston cleanliness in the latest engines.

Approved for long-drain application by Mercedes-Benz and others, Shell Rimula R6 LME exceeded the piston cleanliness of the reference oil by 25% in the MB OM501 engine test. It has been tested to assist in achieving long engine life and protection throughout the oil maintenance interval. It also greatly reduces ‘SAPS’ for enhanced catalyst/filter compatibility when comparing OEM limits and other competitors.

So, if you are a trucker on highway or in heavy-duty applications, with fleets of varied engine technology ranging between Euro 2, 3, 4 and 5 engine types, and for a wide range of trucking and public transportation applications in modern, low-emission vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, MAN, DAF, SCANIA and others, then Shell Rimula R6 LME exceeds the performance requirements of industry specifications such as ACEA E6 and E7, and is ideal for vehicles fitted with DPFs.

P RODUCT N EWS

New ‘Swingbin’ design

C

reativity and innovation are key attributes that infuse the value-add culture at Top Trailers, a proudly South African

company that exhibited its newly designed side tipper at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in October this year. The company’s

motto, ‘The sky’s NOT the limit’, prompted MD, Louis van den Berg, to partner with Johan Kotze on his revolutionary concept for an interlink side tipper known as the Swingbin.

This new technology trailer has been added to the existing side tipper link range and has undergone stringent testing. The prototype model performed exceptionally well under all conditions and applications. The major difference between the traditional side tipper and the Swingbin lies in the design and mechanical operation of the bin. The designers of the Swingbin claim it has many benefits, including: • It tips at a third of the normal hydraulic pressure.

• The floor is a separate part that can be replaced, making relining of the bin less expensive.

• The bin rotates only 50 degrees, compared to the 135 degrees of a traditional side tipper.

• It is not limited to a 50 m3 load capacity.

• The Swingbin can be mounted on a standard side tipper chassis.

• The existing hydraulic cylinders can be used when doing the conversion.

Get clever and conserve your fuel!

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ith petrol prices rising and October having been Transport Month, now is the time to start conserving fuel. From the commercial trucker trying to transport his load across the country to the everyday motorist trying to get to work in the 21st century, we rely on oil (petrol) for every aspect of transportation.

Brendan Horan, general sales and marketing manager: MiX Telematics, says there are a number of simple things every motorist can employ to conserve fuel. “It is in everyone’s interests to conserve our limited fuel supply and I would like to encourage motorists to adopt driving measures that minimise fuel consumption,” says Horan.

The latest measurements confirm that the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are running out more quickly than expected and it is predicted that sometime between 2010 and 2020 the world’s supply of oil and gas will fall below the level required to meet international demand, reaffirming its global status as ‘black gold’. With this in mind, and the ever-rising cost of petrol making it increasingly difficult for the average consumer to tighten belts and cut costs, “fuel-saving measures could be our only option,” says Horan. Horan offers the following top 10 fuel-saving tips for motorists: •Change gears efficiently: Move up to the highest gear as soon as appropriate. When you drive slowly in a higher gear, you’ll burn less fuel.

•Drive smoothly: Don’t drive It's not the car that is important, but how smartly you drive

aggressively and avoid hard acceleration. You’ll burn up to a third less fuel if you drive smoothly.

•Avoid sudden braking: Keep a good distance from the car in front of you and avoid braking too hard as this will use more fuel.

•Make sure your tyres are properly inflated: Check your tyres regularly and ensure that they are correctly inflated.

•Avoid over-revving your car: Don’t over-rev when you’re pulling away or accelerating. Never ‘redline’ the rev counter.

•Avoid carrying excess weight: Empty your boot out now and again and clear your car of unnecessary items.

•Switch off your engine when it’s not in use: Avoid excess idling – it burns fuel unnecessarily. Turn the engine off until you need it again.

•Use air conditioning sparingly: Air conditioning puts extra strain on your engine and can increase your fuel consumption by 8%. Rather use your car’s internal ventilation system where possible.

•Keep your engine well tuned and serviced: Service your car regularly – a poorly maintained engine with dirty spark plugs can increase your fuel consumption by up to 50%.

•Avoid high speeds: High speed equals more wind resistance equals greater fuel consumption. Keep it slow.

“If we all work together and do our bit to drive with fuel conservation in mind, perhaps the next petrol hike or the next strike will have far less of an impact,” concludes Horan.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 37

P RODUCT N EWS

The new Ford Kuga

T

he Ford Kuga is a five-seater crossover vehicle that offers an elevated seating position, a versatile interior, dynamic on- and off-road ability and striking styling. With its intelligent all-wheel drive system, the Kuga is perfectly suited to changes in road conditions. Traction is maintained by automatically applying power to the wheels that need it most, ensuring that you stay in control no matter what the road throws at you.

An ingenious split rear tailgate means there are two ways you can access the rear, depending on what you want to load or unload. If you have something small to pop in the back or you are in a restricted area you can simply open the upper section of the tailgate.

When transporting something bigger, you can open the tailgate fully. In addition, the floor can fold completely flat, ensuring maximum load space.

The Kuga conveys a sense of energy in motion through Ford’s Kinetic Design.

The all new Ford Kuga Distinctive headlights, a contoured bonnet and a large trapezoid grille create a powerful, iconic profile that sets it apart. The pronounced wheel arches, stylish air vents and muscular

shoulder line provide an energetic stance. The sporty off-road look continues with the Kuga’s front and rear bumpers, as well as standard twin exhausts.

New FAW at Truck & Bus Show

C

hinese truck maker, First Auto Works (FAW), previewed its new J6 trucktractor at the Johannesburg Truck & Bus Show, which ran concurrently with the 2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show at the NASREC. The FAW J6 will officially be launched onto the local market in the first quarter of 2012 and the company believes the vehicle, which will compete in the extra-heavy segment of the market, will revolutionise the long-haul trucking segment in South Africa while increasing FAW’s footprint on the African continent.

FAW has a long history going back to 1953 and is now one of the largest truck and bus makers in the world, with 133 000 employees.

It already exports to more than 70 countries, with its South African operation having been established in 1993. The company says it is investing R700 million in a new production plant in the Eastern Cape, where construction is due to start before the end of 2011.

Its current range of trucks, from a payload of 4.5 to 16 t, is assembled at a plant in Spartan, Gauteng. The new facility will be used as an export base for shipping trucks into Africa. This new development will go hand in hand with the expansion of the dealer network, while other products are currently being tested to ascertain

38 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

their suitability for introduction to African markets.

The new 6x4 FAW

R OAD S AFETY

Pedestrian attitudes If you can drive in Johannesburg, you can drive anywhere. Then again, that’s what every city says. But, in South Africa, dodging taxis and pedestrians is a daily car, truck or bus driver’s challenge.

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hether you live in the city or in a rural area, what should be drummed into your head are the words 'Look right, look left and look right again'. These words should be hotwired into every preschool learner’s thinking.

Phrases such as 'Never step into a road unless you plan to cross over at a zebra crossing' and 'Green means GO and red means STOP!' set the way for safety etiquette when using the roads as a pedestrian. But, generally speaking, it seems that people who come from rural areas, where traffic is at a minimum, don’t seem to understand the rules of the road or are

Road safety rules should be hotwired into everyone's thinking not taught these in school. There is a total lack of understanding of the rule 'Give way to pedestrians' as this only applies at zebra crossings and at street intersections where pedestrian crossings are clearly marked. It does not mean that pedestrians can cross roads anywhere they want to, which they arrogantly do.

We have seen a sudden increase in pedestrian-related collisions in the past few weeks and have attended to 247 pedestrian accidents in the last month. One of the more recent incidents occurred in Cape Town when two pedestrians were struck at high speed while walking next to the N1 highway near the Okavango off-ramp. One of the men died at the scene and the other was left with various injuries.

Paramedics who attended the scene noted that this specific area is known for high-speed

pedestrian accidents as pedestrians are known to cross the busy highway at that point. On the same day, the ER24 Discovery Medicopter was dispatched to assist with the transportation of a seriously injured patient who had sustained broken bones in both of his legs. The 35-year-old male was struck by a vehicle as he was attempting to cross the R59 highway in Meyerton, Gauteng.

Most of the fatal pedestrian accidents involve pedestrians crossing a busy freeway at any given time during the day. Contributing factors such as a lack of education and alcohol abuse may play a role in the large number of pedestrian-related vehicle collisions around South Africa. ER24 would like to advise all pedestrians and road users on the following precautions when using the roads around the country: • Always cross the road at a designated

crossing point such as an elevated freeway walkway, a zebra or humped pedestrian crossing or a robot activated crossing.

• Look right, left and right again to ensure that all traffic has come to a complete stop before stepping into the road.

• Wear visible or reflective clothing when walking, jogging or standing next to a road or freeway.

• Motorists should utilise their headlights even in daylight to improve visibility of pedestrians, also giving pedestrians a better chance of seeing a vehicle that may be approaching.

• Drivers should pay attention to their surroundings and be pre-emptive to pedestrians walking next to or on the roads.

As December approaches and the temperature rises, more individuals will be seen outside enjoying the weather. Slippers will be swapped for running shoes and boots will be swapped for flip-flops as joggers and beachgoers enjoy the great outdoors. Drivers and pedestrians should be mindful of one another as an unexpected run-in may have devastating consequences.

TWA 11 & 12 | 2011 – 39

T HE T AIL E ND

Beware the dragon

Dancing with the Chinese, Mercedes-Benz (top left) and GM (top right)

It was Sun Tzu who wrote the classic The Art of War. Applied in the commercial sphere, it's just as effective. By Tony Stone

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ith only 22 cars per 1 000 people, China is the world’s largest auto market. In all, it has 62 million registered passenger vehicles, and by 2020 this is expected to exceed 200 million. Of its annual motor vehicle production, 56% comprises international brands such as GM, VW, Hyundai, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Volvo, PSA and Toyota. The balance of 44% is its own local brands such as BYD, Lifan, Chang’an, Geely, Cherry, Haifel, Jainghuai, Great Wall and Roewe. In 2010, China exported 369 000 units. And between 2011 and 2030, production is expected to grow eightfold. Without a doubt, this will place a huge, added demand on the world’s already limited oil reserves.

Nonetheless, these numbers provide an insight as to why China, now the world’s second largest economy, so voraciously consumes Africa’s raw materials. It also exports its own

branded motor vehicles, and other products, to Africa. South Africa, Africa’s economic engine, holding position 28 in the world’s 2010 GDP rankings, pales by comparison. In Q2 2011, China cooled to a 9.5% GDP growth in real terms. For the same period, South Africa came in with a measly 1.3%. What is Interesting is that China, a poorer country than South Africa when measured against GDP per capita by approximately 25%, provides economic aid to Africa. However, it is estimated that by 2016, China’s GDP per capita will exceed that of South Africa.

So, what is it that makes China so successful? To the historian, post 1989’s Tiananmen Square protests, China reflects the hallmarks of a well thought out and executed Marshall Plan, one that is led by a drive to educate its people, especially in the scientific and technical fields.

China produces 500 000 engineers per annum, compared to the USA which produces 150 000.

It’s a case of Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’, and China wants not just to survive but to dominate

By comparison, and relatively speaking, South Africa does even come close. Conversely, Japan, for which the original Marshall Plan was conceived, and which was rebuilt after World War II (as was Germany) is hugely successful – today the second largest producer of motor vehicles in the world.

Digging a little deeper, if we take a closer look at Asia and the Far East (India, ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea), we will observe that they have large domestic markets, free trade agreements and massive intraregional trade.

This, coupled with a competitive spirit, a productive workforce and a focus on producing quality products and services, produces a high GDP growth rate – consistently.

And, herein is our cautionary warning: if we, Africa and South Africa, do not beneficiate our natural resources and compete on an equal footing with China, we will be surreptitiously duped, exploited and overrun by them. It’s a case of Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’, and China wants not just to survive but to dominate.

That much is very clear.

2010 Vehicle production volumes Rank 1 2 5 7 12 21 22 28 29 24

Country China Japan Korea India Thailand Indonesia Malaysia Taiwan Australia South Africa

Passenger 13 897 083 8 307 382 3 866 206 2 814 584 554 367 496 524 522 568 251 490 205 334 295 394

Note: Excludes three- and two-wheeled vehicles

40 – TWA 11 & 12 | 2011

Commercial 4 367 584 1 318 558 405 735 722 199 1 090 126 205 984 45 147 51 966 38 161 176 655

Total 18 264 667 9 625 940 4 271 941 3 536 783 1 644 513 704 715 567 715 303 456 243 495 472 049

Population 1 339 190 000 127 380 000 49 773 145 1 184 639 000 63 525 062 234 181 400 28 306 700 23 061 689 22 421 417 49 991 300

Source: International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Emirates Sky Cargo

IFC

Namgola Logistics

33

Caltex Chevron SA

38

Digicell

OFC

MTU South Africa

IBC

Linde Material Handling

22

OTT Technologies

11

SBV Services Shell Lubricants Volkswagen South Africa

14 OBC 26

HOWEVER TOUGH, SHELL RIMULA PROTECTS.

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Protects against acids, deposits and wear for longer engine life Uses unique technology that adapts and protects under all operating conditions Helps reduce maintenance costs

Shell Rimula ENERGISED PROTECTION