Pittsburgh-based freight and transit supplier Wabtec announced it had entered into an agreement with South African company Transnet Engineering to support Transnet’s Class D43 and D44 locomotives.
Based in Johannesburg, Transnet is a state-owned transport and logistics company, with interests in rail infrastructure and management, port operations, and pipelines. According to Wabtec and Transnet, the two companies signed a $390 million material and technical support agreement that would enhance the availability and reliability of the South African railroad’s locomotive fleet, officials said, while fostering collaboration, knowledge transfer and localization to strengthen the country’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 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. Officials with Wabtec said the agreement will help improve Transnet’s locomotive performance 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.”