Page 32 - Logistics News - August 2021

C O MPANY NE W S

Open rail industry will boost employment in SA

Opening South Africa’s rail network to third-party up their investments in rolling stock and infrastructure
operators will provide further impetus to the country’s to meet pent-up demand. Projections by the Africa Rail
ongoing efforts to develop scarce artisan skills and meet Industry Association (ARIA) agree, stating that additional
the National Development Plan’s target of training 30,000 parties using the rail network will create numerous
artisans a year by 2030. upstream jobs by enabling industry (smelters, steel mills,
manufacturing and agri-processing) and mining (new coal,
To achieve this, though, it is critical that government manganese and iron ore mines) to become internationally
moves ahead rapidly with its plans to grant third-party competitive. •
access to the core rail network within the next 12 months,
as President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted in his Economic
Recovery Plan last October, says James Holley, the CEO
of independent rail operator Traxtion. Under this policy,
private freight rail operators will be allowed to operate on
the state-owned rail infrastructure alongside Transnet.

Holley says that opening the rail network to third-
party operators will potentially create thousands of jobs
and training opportunities as rail operators rapidly scale

Qatar Airways Cargo now a member of Cool Chain Association

Qatar Airways Cargo has extended its cool chain industry “CCA members are focused on developing tangible
partnerships by joining Cool Chain Association (CCA), a non- programmes and backing projects which help reduce food
profit organisation, effective 28 July 2021. Founded in 2003, waste and ensure that life-saving pharma consignments
the association aims to reduce food wastage and improve safely reach their destination, and this has never been more
the quality, efficiency and value of the temperature sensitive relevant than now,” says Stavros Engelakakis, Chairman,
supply chain by facilitating and enabling vertical and CCA. “We are pleased that the cargo carrier’s Senior
horizontal collaboration, education and innovation amongst Manager of Climate Control Products, Miguel Rodriguez
its members and stakeholders. Moreno, is joining the board. Qatar Airways Cargo’s
shared commitment to our goals and its vision for WeQare
Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways, combined with Miguel’s wealth of experience in the cool
says, “Through our membership with CCA, we look forward chain supply chain makes him the perfect addition to our
to collaborating with its members and contributing to CCA’s association.”
vision of improving the quality of temperature-sensitive
products, increasing sustainability and reducing waste, Qatar Airways Cargo will join CCA and its members
thereby also contributing to the health of the planet, which to deliver contributions in improving the cool chain
aligns with our sustainability programme WeQare.” and sustainable transport of temperature-sensitive
pharmaceutical and perishable cargo. Such concrete
contributions like the CCA Technical Committee, which
oversees and assists in projects addressing critical points
affecting product quality along the cool chain, as well
L O GI S T I CS NEWS indirectly reduce global hunger and contribute to overall
as developing standards and initiating projects, will
health of people and the planet. Through the membership,
the airline will also participate in Cool Chain Association’s
board meetings and focus groups to contribute its

30 A U GU S T 2021 expertise. • www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a