Wabtec, a Pittsburgh-based global supplier of equipment, systems, digital solutions and other services for the freight and transit rail industry, announced it had entered into an agreement with Transnet Engineering to support Transnet’s Class D43 and D44 locomotives.
Transnet is a South African state-owned transport and logistics company, based in Johannesburg. The company has interests in rail infrastructure and management, port operations, and pipelines. According to the two companies, the $390 million material and technical support agreement would enhance the availability and reliability of the railroad’s locomotive fleet, officials said, while fostering collaboration, knowledge transfer and localization to strengthen South Africa’s rail sector.
“This agreement supports our Reinvent for Growth strategy and represents an important step in improving the performance of our locomotive fleet,” Transnet Engineering Chief Executive Ms. Bessie Mabunda said. “The D43 and D44 locomotives serve critical freight corridors that move export commodities, containers and general freight across South Africa. Strengthening their reliability and availability will help improve service delivery, support freight recovery and enhance the country’s logistics competitiveness.”
As part of the agreement, Wabtec will provide Transnet with components, technical expertise and predictive maintenance capabilities to support its D43 and D44 fleets. The solutions will help improve locomotive performance, officials with Wabtec said, while accelerating maintenance turnaround times, and strengthening fleet lifecycle management.
“Transnet is making strategic investments to strengthen the reliability, efficiency and long-term performance of its rail network,” Sameer Gaur, president of Wabtec’s Global Freight Services, said. “This MTSA builds on our shared commitment to improving fleet availability, enhancing customer confidence and creating a more competitive freight logistics network that supports trade and industrialization.”