Cargo Carriers has been awarded the contract to transport pitch & tar from ArcelorMittal’s Vanderbijlpark plant to industries around the country.

Pitch & tar, a by-product of the steel smelting process, is burnt as a low-cost furnace fuel, but the plants that use it are scattered as far afield as eMalahleni, Middelburg, Zimbabwe and Richards Bay. It presents a serious transportation challenge because the material needs to be maintained at high temperature – if it drops below 200°C, it solidifies into a destructive solid and renders a tanker useless.

Speed, efficiency and safety

Because pitch & tar has to be kept at a constant 200°C and to reduce costs it is vital that the supply chain between producer and consumer runs continuously. Cargo Carriers has tankers dedicated to this contract, staffed by full-time drivers, to ensure that the operation runs smoothly. Tankers also pick up a return load of crude tar from either Pretoria or Newcastle, for delivery to Vanderbijlpark, further improving cost-effectiveness.

Tankers are clad in a double skin, both to insulate the load and to improve safety. A heating blanket within the skin maintains the temperature. Since the cargo is potentially hazardous, Cargo Carriers has to maintain strict adherence to Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) protocols.   Cargo Carriers are also affiliated to the Chemical & Allied Industries (CAIA) and are signatories to Safety and Quality Assessment (SQAS) and Responsible Care.

Logistics software allows the tracking and tracing of all loads throughout their journeys. Driver performance is monitored closely by on-board technology, and driver training and retraining is a continual process, to ensure the highest safety levels. Cargo Carriers also has contracts with spill-response companies, so that in the event of an accident, containment and clean-up can be launched immediately.