Durban, South Africa will soon be host to the largest gathering of African transport professionals – both in rail and in maritime.
The second annual African Rail Evolution forum, co-located with the 6th annual African Ports Evolution forum and KwaZulu-Natal Export Week will take place 17-18 October 2017 – providing a broad access to transport entities that can facilitate trade globally.
The only rail maintenance and rehabilitation forum in Africa, CPD accredited with ECSA by SAAMA, will be chaired by both Mr Brian Monakali, Deputy Chairman of the International Heavy Haul Association and Ms Renaire Huntley, Executive for Strategy and Business Development at the Rail Safety Regulator. The two-day forum will feature over 11 countries and over 6 African rail operators participating in the programme.
The forum’s joint keynote plenary session, chaired by author and African business specialist, Mr Victor Kgomoeswana, will look at ways to enhance regional connectivity and inter modal value chain opportunities to drive social and economic development in Africa. Both the South African Minister of Transport, Hon Joseph Maswanganyi and his Nigerian counterpart, Hon Chibuike Amaechi, will deliver Ministerial addresses followed by a high-level panel discussion.
An African rail operator’s focus session will feature three leading rail operators, including ZRL, TAZARA and TFR. Eng Fred Mwila, Technical Manager for Projects at Zambia Railways will present a case study on remanufacturing as an answer to aged and under maintained rolling stock in Sub-Saharan Africa, while Principal Track Engineer at Transnet Freight Rail, Mr Jonathan Duvel, will present on Transnet’s track performance on the NATCOR corridor, along with challenges and improved maintenance management solutions.
Chaired by Mr Nkululeko Poya, CEO of the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) in South Africa, an exclusive African rail operators’ executive panel discussion will feature the likes of Botswana Railways CEO, Mr Leonard Makwinja; Group CEO of Rift Valley Railways, Mr Isaiah Otieno Okoth; GM of the National Railways of Zimbabwe; and Deputy Managing Director of Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, Eng Betram Kiswaga.
Panellists will debate and discuss how best to manage maintenance and rehabilitation to preserve rail infrastructure and Rolling Stock in the future. Other discussion topics include: Short to medium term plans; rehabilitate vs. new; upgrading systems vs. entire units; job creation and localisation; and identifying and partnering with the right suppliers.
In another discussion moderated by Mr Andrea Giuricin, CEO of TRA Consulting and MD of CRIET – Transport at the University of Milan, Italy, panellists will look at railway safety, digital transformation and future rail systems. The panel will unpack digital transformation – what it is and what the impact is on Railways and maintenance. Panellists include PRASA’s National Maintenance Operations Manager for Engineering Services, Mr Tino Gabryk and Gautrain Management Agency’s CEO, Mr Jack van der Merwe.
The event will conclude on a high note with a joint closing panel session where the respective chairmen of both forums will give their feedback, action points and highlights with progress to be assessed at the 2018 event.
Exhibitors include the following: Ares Project Management, Azon Rail, Bentley Systems, Department Environmental Affairs, Department Trade & Industry, Ethekweni Municipality, Gautrain, Kansai Plascon, Knorr Bremse, Motseni Engineering Services, Nungu Group, Rail Road Association, Railways Africa, SAFlog, Santrack Construction and Inspection, Timken, Transnet Engineering, Valotech and WCP Services.
To register for the forum or for more information contact Ibtishaam at email or phone: +27 21 700 4305.