Don YF
JF-Expert Member
- May 24, 2014
- 10,494
- 9,854
The Star.
A year after its inauguration, the standard gauge railway is on course to steering Kenya to greater heights of economic development. Since July 10, 2018, the SGR has been operating 14 freight trains daily between Nairobi and Mombasa. With each train carrying up to 54 vehicles, transporting 108 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) containers per train in a single direction from Mombasa to Nairobi, this translates to a total of 756 TEU containers per day.
The transportation capacity has increased seven times, compared to two freight trains operated every day at the beginning of the year. It is projected that 28 freight trains will be operated daily at the end of the year. The original design plan for the number of freight container transportation to be achieved by 2025 has already been reached. The SGR has achieved the eight-year container transportation plan within a year.
By operating 14 freight trains daily, the SGR has fully utilised the advantages of MNSGR for its large volume, safe and comfortable, punctual and fast characteristics, reducing 700 trucks per day which were to transport heavy and empty containers between Mombasa and Nairobi.
It has effectively alleviated the tense traffic conditions on Mombasa highway and greatly shortened the time for cargo transportation, which is five hours faster than that of highway transport. More importantly, it has increased cargo transportation efficiency and reduced maintenance frequency and cost of road infrastructure. But above all, the clearance of the goods at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Nairobi has eased the pressure on centralised customs clearance at the Mombasa port and improved efficiency.
Put another way, operating 14 freight and four passenger trains per day means that there is one train at each terminus at intervals of 45 minutes. This requires robust equipment and a sufficient number of highly skilled personnel with expertise in train operations, driving, maintenance, vehicle operations and cargo handling to ensure its safe and smooth operations.
For instance, for each additional two freight trains, it is necessary to increase 14 Chinese locomotive drivers and 14 Kenyan assistant drivers. When the total number of trains is eventually increased to 14, operations will run evenly during the day and night, creating more jobs for drivers. Employees’ work shift mode at the Nairobi and Port Reitz stations will also change, besides increasing the number of staff for various operations.
The SGR has recruited 2,285 staffers from diverse professional backgrounds and conducted numerous training on theoretical knowledge and practical operation. Since the beginning of the year, the company has carried out daily training of local employees on 1,086 occasions, translating to 17,566 man-hours.
Practical operations training has been conducted on 749 occasions, translating to 3,234 man-hours. From 2017 to date, seven assistant locomotive drivers and four passenger train attendants have been selected and deployed to participate in training for relevant professions in China. This would be a continuous process.
Kenya Railways has enlisted 394 new recruits in assistant locomotive driving, rolling stock maintenance, transportation and signaling and communications. They are undergoing a two to six-month training programme at the Railways Training Institute (RTI) before taking up the positions. After graduation they will receive daily, full time on-the-job training to enhance competence in preparation for the operation of 28 freight trains by the end of the year, as per the Kenya Railways plan.
The SGR is poised to start the transportation of bulk cargo in August, with the aim of achieving 10 million tonnes of annual transportation capacity by 2024, as stipulated in the original agreement. If the SGR meets the target of 28 freight trains, more could be introduced in 2019, thereby increasing the throughput of the Mombasa port and attracting freight source from ports in other countries. This will enhance the importance of the Mombasa port in Africa and its strategic position. Ultimately, Kenya’s economy is set to grow at a tremendous rate. This is the pre-eminent goal of the SGR and the aspiration of Kenyans.
Communications adviser at the China Road & Bridge Corporation, Kenya
A year after its inauguration, the standard gauge railway is on course to steering Kenya to greater heights of economic development. Since July 10, 2018, the SGR has been operating 14 freight trains daily between Nairobi and Mombasa. With each train carrying up to 54 vehicles, transporting 108 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) containers per train in a single direction from Mombasa to Nairobi, this translates to a total of 756 TEU containers per day.
The transportation capacity has increased seven times, compared to two freight trains operated every day at the beginning of the year. It is projected that 28 freight trains will be operated daily at the end of the year. The original design plan for the number of freight container transportation to be achieved by 2025 has already been reached. The SGR has achieved the eight-year container transportation plan within a year.
By operating 14 freight trains daily, the SGR has fully utilised the advantages of MNSGR for its large volume, safe and comfortable, punctual and fast characteristics, reducing 700 trucks per day which were to transport heavy and empty containers between Mombasa and Nairobi.
It has effectively alleviated the tense traffic conditions on Mombasa highway and greatly shortened the time for cargo transportation, which is five hours faster than that of highway transport. More importantly, it has increased cargo transportation efficiency and reduced maintenance frequency and cost of road infrastructure. But above all, the clearance of the goods at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Nairobi has eased the pressure on centralised customs clearance at the Mombasa port and improved efficiency.
Put another way, operating 14 freight and four passenger trains per day means that there is one train at each terminus at intervals of 45 minutes. This requires robust equipment and a sufficient number of highly skilled personnel with expertise in train operations, driving, maintenance, vehicle operations and cargo handling to ensure its safe and smooth operations.
For instance, for each additional two freight trains, it is necessary to increase 14 Chinese locomotive drivers and 14 Kenyan assistant drivers. When the total number of trains is eventually increased to 14, operations will run evenly during the day and night, creating more jobs for drivers. Employees’ work shift mode at the Nairobi and Port Reitz stations will also change, besides increasing the number of staff for various operations.
The SGR has recruited 2,285 staffers from diverse professional backgrounds and conducted numerous training on theoretical knowledge and practical operation. Since the beginning of the year, the company has carried out daily training of local employees on 1,086 occasions, translating to 17,566 man-hours.
Practical operations training has been conducted on 749 occasions, translating to 3,234 man-hours. From 2017 to date, seven assistant locomotive drivers and four passenger train attendants have been selected and deployed to participate in training for relevant professions in China. This would be a continuous process.
Kenya Railways has enlisted 394 new recruits in assistant locomotive driving, rolling stock maintenance, transportation and signaling and communications. They are undergoing a two to six-month training programme at the Railways Training Institute (RTI) before taking up the positions. After graduation they will receive daily, full time on-the-job training to enhance competence in preparation for the operation of 28 freight trains by the end of the year, as per the Kenya Railways plan.
The SGR is poised to start the transportation of bulk cargo in August, with the aim of achieving 10 million tonnes of annual transportation capacity by 2024, as stipulated in the original agreement. If the SGR meets the target of 28 freight trains, more could be introduced in 2019, thereby increasing the throughput of the Mombasa port and attracting freight source from ports in other countries. This will enhance the importance of the Mombasa port in Africa and its strategic position. Ultimately, Kenya’s economy is set to grow at a tremendous rate. This is the pre-eminent goal of the SGR and the aspiration of Kenyans.
Communications adviser at the China Road & Bridge Corporation, Kenya