SAPRO Mayoko (a Sapro Group subsidiary and the first iron ore producer and exporter in the Congo) and Thelo DB (a partnership company between Thelo Ventures (Pty) Limited and Deutsche Bahn represented by DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH), have signed an agreement of close to US$ 1.1bn for construction of a new 412km Mayoko to Pointe-Noire port railway in Congo in the southwestern region.
The agreement was signed by Paul Obambi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sapro Mayoko SA, and Ronny Ntouli, the CEO of Thelo DB, both of which welcomed the decision.
Expectations for the new rail
Stretching for 412km, the new Mayoko to Pointe-Noire port railway will be constructed within a span of five years after which it will help with the evacuation of about 12 million tonnes of iron per year in southwestern Congo, and as a result improve the activities of the Sapro Group subsidiary, which operates the Mayoko iron deposit.
SAPRO Mayoko SA is the only company operating Congo’s iron mines in Mayoko, near the border with Gabon. It acquired the Mayoko iron deposit back in 2016 from the South African mining company, Exxaro DMC, with an initial production capacity of three million tonnes of iron per year.
The Congolese company has a long-term production target of 150 million tonnes per year.
Rehabilitation of Mayoko to Port of Pointe-Noire rail section
Reportedly, this old railway section due to numerous incidences where rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails makes it difficult to transport iron from Mayoko to PAPN.
Rolls-Royce and airframer Tecnam are joining forces with Widerøe – the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, to deliver an all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market, ready for revenue service in 2026. The project expands on the successful research programme between Rolls-Royce and Widerøe on sustainable aviation and the existing partnership between Rolls-Royce and Tecnam on powering the all-electric P-Volt aircraft.
Stein Nilsen, Chief Executive, Widerøe said: “Norway’s extensive network of short take-off and landing airports is ideal for zero emissions technologies. This aircraft shows how quickly new technology can and will be developed, and that we are on track with our ambition of flying with zero emissions around 2025.”
Rob Watson, Director – Rolls-Royce Electrical, said: “Electrification will help us deliver our ambition to enable the markets in which we operate achieve net zero carbon by 2050. This collaboration strengthens our existing relationships with Tecnam and Widerøe as we look to explore what is needed to deliver an all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market. It also demonstrates Rolls-Royce’s ambitions to be the leading supplier of all-electric and hybrid electric propulsion and power systems across multiple aviation markets.”
The programme will look to cover all elements of developing and delivering an all-electric passenger aircraft that could be used in the Norwegian market from 2026. Due to its topography, Norway makes extensive use of aviation for regional connectivity and has an ambition for all domestic flights to be zero emissions by 2040. Rolls-Royce will bring its expertise in propulsion and power systems, Tecnam will provide aircraft design, manufacturing and certification capabilities. Widerøe’s mission will be to ensure that all competence and requirements of an airline operator are in place for entry into service in 2026.
Andreas Aks, Chief Strategy Officer, Widerøe, added: “We are highly excited to be offered the role as launch operator, but also humble about the challenges of putting the world’s first zero emissions aircraft into service. Our mission is to have all new capabilities, processes and procedures required for a zero emissions operator, designed and approved in parallel with the aircraft being developed and certified.”
Fabio Russo, Chief Project R&D and Product Development, Tecnam, said: “It is incredible to see the interest around the P-Volt, not only coming from regional airlines, but also from smart mobility-based companies. This last year has demonstrated the importance of promoting capillary connections between small communities, while reducing the congestion of the main hubs. The P-Volt, like the P2012 Traveller today, will perfectly fit the scope of this programme. We are honoured and pleased to see the level of enthusiasm Widerøe and our partner Rolls-Royce are dedicating to this project.”
The collaboration offers an opportunity to develop an exciting solution to the commuter aircraft market. Before the pandemic, Widerøe offered around 400 flights per day using a network of 44 airports, where 74% of the flights have distances less than 275 km. The shortest flight durations are between seven and fifteen minutes. Developing all-electric aircraft will enable people to be connected in a sustainable way and will fulfill Wideroe’s ambition to make its first all-electric flight by 2026. The all-electric P-Volt aircraft, which is based on the 11-seat Tecnam P2012 Traveller aircraft is ideal for the short take-off and landing as well as for routes in the North and the West Coast of Norway.
Rolls-Royce and Widerøe announced a joint research programme in 2019. The aim of the programme was to evaluate and develop electrical aircraft concepts that would fulfil the Norwegian ambition of having the first electrified aircraft in ordinary domestic scheduled flights by 2030 and 80% emission reduction in domestic flights by 2040.
Rolls-Royce also has an existing strategic partnership with Tecnam to develop the modified Tecnam P2010 aircraft with the H3PS[1] propulsion system, the first parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system for General Aviation started together with Rotax in May 2018.
[1]The H3PS project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 769392.
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Jones – Marketing & Communications, Rolls-Royce Electrical
As a well-established specialist with over 10 years’ experience in the fields of automotive electronics and E-Drive Systems Huber Automotive has been successfully driving product development and JV networking with a view to meeting the growing demand for e-mobility solutions, battery management tools and energy storage systems, as well as sophisticated vehicle electronics.
E-mobility and hybrid vehicle concepts as an all-in-one solution
The e-drive/hybrid division supplies e-mobility and hybrid vehicle units as an all-in-one solution.
Like the original, the electric version of the Toyota Land Cruiser is designed for use in extreme environments
and remains a 2WD/4WD vehicle both with and without reduction gearing. It is ideal for operating in rough terrain, especially in the mining industry. This ultimate workhorse is available as Pick up with Single or Double Cab, short, standard and long Station Wagon (J71, J76, J78, J79 SC and DC), right hand as well as left hand driven.
The e-drive system comprises standard components from leading suppliers, for example Bosch. These are arranged into a new architecture that best exploits their individual strengths. This is all made possible thanks to the core element of the system, Huber’s innovative control unit that uses a 32-bit power architecture to extract peak performance from the individual components under ideal thermal conditions. In the brand-new update of the already successful E-Drive Kit, a for Heavy-Duty developed 35 kWh battery pack is installed.
Relevant data on permanent dashboard display
The vehicle’s instrument panel has an implanted digital 10.6-inch display with integral speaker and user
interfaces designed to show all key data, such as battery charge, system temperature and speed. A rear-view camera can also be fitted, and its images displayed in picture-in-picture mode.
A powerful performer on road and on rough ground – above and undergroun
The RUN-E Land Cruiser has a peak performance of 90 kW at a maximum torque of 1,410 Nm. The standard
version can climb gradients of up to 45%, while fitting the extra ‚high off-road‘ equipment creates a vehicle
with a theoretical gradeability of 95%. The high-performance and robust 35-kWh battery has a maximum range of 150 km on-road and between 80 and 100 km off-road. With the powerful 22kW On-Board-Charger, the battery can be charged in 1 hour and 45 minutes from empty to full. The RUN-E Land Cruiser can reach speeds of up to 130 km/h on normal road surfaces, while 35 km/h is possible off-road on gradients up to 15%.
By fitting add-on packages, such as battery cooling or heating and an air-conditioning system, the RUN-E
Electric Cruiser can be adapted to suit individual mine-site conditions. If required, a climate control unit can
even be fitted for the vehicle’s passenger area.
The electric version delivers 100% pollution-free travel, and this greatly enhances the health and safety of the workforce, especially underground, where it also significantly cuts expenditure on vehicle maintenance, oils/fuel and mine ventilation. It is fully certified according to ECE R 100 and ECE R10.
The electric off-road vehicle Tembo 4×4 E-LV on Toyota basis becomes a multifunctional platform: Several versions, from the classic Hilux and Land cruiser pickup to the station wagon, are already available – and another one with an extra large personnel cabin is now being added to the offering.
The designers have given the Tembo, which is sold in many parts of the world by the manufacturer of construction and mining machines GHH, a leading edge with the new extra large 10 personnel carrier. It is specifically targeted to applications, where a maximum of people are required to be transported at once. The more spacious supervision vehicle option, which comprises forward facing 6 personnel carrier, is also available. There are various conversion kits also available to suit specific customer needs as well as tailor made options as well.
Rugged Toyota base
These kits include both mechanical and electrical service vehicles which are based on the enhanced, flatbed platform designed to take any special equipment like a crane or workshop machinery or service equipment for servicing mining machinery. Due to its modular structure, the strength surpasses the original bed and offers the toughness and flexibility needed to complete the job. There are also supervision vehicles available which have been fitted with an aluminium, custom drawer system to keep all the equipment organized.
The new Tembo thus competes with many of the light duty multi-purpose vehicles available today. Among them are the increasingly outdated diesel-powered vehicles, but also the solutions of the (few) direct competitors, who also electrify light duty vehicles – but are hardly as far advanced as the Tembo. Although Tembo focuses on “going green” and being the leader in 100 percent electric vehicles, the need for conventional diesel units is understood and can be fully supported where needed.
Pioneer in the industry
The first Tembo Electric Cruiser came on the market in 2016. Their approach of turning the Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux series into a fully-fledged electric multi-purpose vehicle, especially for construction and mining industries, is considered to be correspondingly mature. The two vehicle models are widely used: In underground mining, for example, Toyota is considered a market leader.
Although the sales price (still) speaks for the diesel, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits: its error-prone complexity, the noise level, heat generation, extensive maintenance, and above all the emissions that are harmful to health and the environment. Diesel engines also challenge ventilation during underground use, which leads to high operational cost are causing more and more operators to consider alternatives. Electric vehicles undoubtedly offer such alternatives, and the Tembo in particular: The manufacturer has a global presence, can look back on many years of expertise and, above all, can point to numerous vehicles in active use even under the toughest conditions (e.g. in Australian mines). The turnkey, custom made solutions definitely put them a step above the rest.
200 km on a battery charge
The Tembos correspond largely to the series standard of Toyota, but are equipped with an electric motor with 65 kW and 250 Nm torque, a special 1:3 transmission and a powerful battery designed for at least 10 years or 8000 charging cycles. Achieving 80km with a 28kwh battery pack and 200km with a 72kWh battery pack. In two and a half hours the vehicles are charged from 20 to 80 percent, with the single phase charger, and with the 3 phase charger this time decreases to only one hour. No external infrastructure is required for operation, as a 15 kW charger is also on board with the single phase and a 22 kW with the 3 phase, battery recuperation in place and a charging cable wallbox can also be supplied with the vehicle if required. The vehicles reach a top speed of 80 km/h and can climb gradients of up to 45 degrees. With the standard air conditioner and heater as well as smooth acceleration and no gear changing, every drive is a comfortable one. For more information, visit Tembo4x4-elv.com and GHH-Fahrzeuge.de.
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Note to the editors:
There is a video available showing the new Tembo 4×4 version
GHH, based in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, has over 50 years of experience in the production of robust and safe vehicles for mining and tunnelling in hard and soft rock, including load haul dumpers with payloads of up to 21 tonnes and dump trucks of up to 45 tonnes. They are designed for low profile, narrow vein and mass mining operating environments and are used worldwide. GHH is part of the Schmitz Kranz Group and thus one of the global market leaders, to which the drilling rig specialist Minemaster and GHH Mining Machines also belongs. Since September 2019 the Germans have included the electric Tembo vehicles from the Netherlands in their worldwide sales and service program. The vehicles are offered in Germany, Turkey, Greece, Russia, India, USA, Mexico, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe as well as the CIS states and Latin America.
Online shopping and the effects of Covid-19 will, according to DHL, result in higher volumes and an earlier start to the peak season.
DHL Express is bracing for an all-time high in e-commerce trade around the world.
The transport and logistics company has experienced e-commerce volume growth of around 35 per cent in 2020. The upcoming peak season will further accelerate this and result in increased shipment quantities above 50 per cent compared to last year’s peak season.
“Megatrends such as globalisation and digitalisation have an enormous impact on global trade,” said DHL Express CEO, John Pearson.
“In recent decades, we have seen how globalisation, increased trade and interaction have raised prosperity and choice, reduced poverty, cultivated diversity and enriched lives. At DHL Express it is our mission to enable global trade and support our customers during the most important days for their business. We make sure that goods are delivered as fast as possible – and Christmas gifts are being delivered to households all over the globe in time. We are proud of the strong commitment of our employees and couriers who are out there to fulfil our mission of connecting people and improving their lives. In times when the coronavirus hits both economy and private lives, their efforts are outstanding.”
DHL Express, with more than 100,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories, has taken numerous measures, including social distancing, face masks and disinfection, to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The company has also developed safe delivery procedures for receivers, without the need for customers to sign for their shipments. All of this secures the continuity of business for DHL’s customers and for global trade.
Michiel Greeven, EVP Global Sales at DHL Express, said coronavirus and its associated impacts including curfews has led to changes in the retail sector worldwide.
“As a consequence, the buying behaviour of consumers, but also B2B buyers, changed significantly and shifted more and more into the online world,” said Greeven.
“From an e-commerce perspective some might even say that Covid-19 brought 2030 to 2020, with online shopping and the necessary shipping as the new normal.
“And this not only counts for B2C retailers but also in the light of B2B e-commerce. Particularly in current days of uncertainty many giant stores will be going online with their sales promotion.
“This will have its effect on peak season as well and shoppers will be mainly going online to get the best deals instead of going to physical stores. With the result of fast shipping needs as well.”
DHL Express is prepared to provide fast and reliable services
Facing such increasing volumes, and in parallel Covid-19 spreading around the globe, the challenges for logistics providers are tremendous. In addition to the consistent observation of the situation and flexible management of precaution measures to keep employees safe, the unprecedented peak of shipments poses an additional challenge for logistics.
DHL Express has hired more than 10,000 new employees. Annual investment in infrastructure, vehicles and state-of-the-art technology means the company can multiply the capacity of its operations and manage upcoming volumes
As well as ongoing mining development activities, the coming weeks will see the progression of civil engineering and construction of support facilities. The company also expects major equipment for the processing plant to be received shortly.
The primary short-term tasks for the newly arrived contract mining staff from IW Mining will be to work with Akobo’s engineers to develop the box cut for the incline shaft. The box cut is a small open cut built to supply a secure and safe entrance as access to a slope to an underground mine.
In addition, the contract staff will be recruiting and training local staff to join the company as they advance towards production. Securing positions for those living in the local community is a key element in Akobo Minerals’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programme.
Jørgen Evjen, CEO of Akobo Minerals, comments:
“When excavation began to remove the overburden at our mining site in south-west Ethiopia, it was the culmination of over a decade of tireless work for the company.
“The next steps will be to undertake a short geotechnical evaluation, after which the ground supports will be set in place to allow for the safe establishment of a portal and the subsequent start of underground mining of gold in the first quarter of 2023 – marking a true landmark moment in the development of Akobo Minerals
