Chemicals
The chemicals industry contributes more than R12 billion per year to the South African economy.
The industry is highly complex and diversified, ranging from low unit value commodity or bulk chemicals, to high value but small volume, complex and highly specialised compounds. The industry is at an important point, with natural gas from Moçambique providing a significant new feedstock.
Sasol is the leader in this industry, with the oil-from coal project, which led to the unique technological capabilities being developed. The outlook for the industry is to meet the globalisation challenge by becoming globally competitive and produce more chemicals for export.
Our service
Spoornet offers unique and specialised total logistical services to major players in the chemicals industry. Dedicated chemical freight trains run on a regular schedule, with the service determined by the cost-efficiency of the specific freight logistics solution.
We offer a total supply chain solution to all our customers. If you require a comprehensive logistics solution, we shall contract partners (warehousing, short road haul etc.) on your behalf. You need to deal with only one service provider, Spoornet. We partner with customers to optimise the use of our specialised wagon fleet to free up capacity, as in the case of the following projects:
- Bulk liquid train from Secunda to Richards Bay that runs 5 times a week - White Mamba Collaborative Initiative(from turnaround time of 14 days to 4 days).
- Bulk liquid train from Secunda to Durban that runs 2 times per week - Green Mamba Collaborative Initiative (from turnaround time of 12 days to 7 days).
- Butadiene gas train from Richards Bay to Newcastle that runs once per week.
A variety of wagons are used to transport these commodities, including open wagons, flat trucks and tankers that are highly specialised to transport hazardous and non-hazardous commodities.
Commodities
A wide variety of chemical products in gaseous, granular or liquid form, are well suited to rail transport:
- Solvents, olefins and surfactants,
- Chemicals packed in containers,
- Acids, like phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, tar acid etc.,
- Alcohol, like ethanol, hexanol and nonanol,
- Gases, like butadiene, hexane, propylene etc.,
- Ammonia anhydrous,
- Caustic soda,
- Ammonium nitrate,
- Salt,
- Pitch coke,
- Sulphur
- Lime,
- Millscale,
- Effluent water,
- Raw rubber,
- Calcium carbide,
- Isoprene and
- Many others.
Our Customers
Our customers in this sector include:
- SasolChem and Sasol Polymers,
- Karbochem,
- Bordic,
- Dow Plastics,
- Lever Ponds,
- Somchem,
- Isegen SA Pty Ltd,
- Logis,
- Olivine,
- AEL and others.
Contact us
Alex Masianoga
Telephone: (011) 774-4181
Fax: (011) 774-3288