The investment is expected to enhance our operational capabilities and contribution to the growth and competitiveness of the economy. (Image source: NDB)

The New Development Bank (NDB), an organisation created to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS and other emerging economies, has announced a R5bn (approx. US$278mn) loan agreement with Transnet, South Africa’s leading freight transport and logistics company

Transnet has faced consistent challenges over the last few years and has come under heavy criticism at times for operational issues with its ports and rail networks, equipment shortages, maintenance backlogs and beyond. However, the organisation has committed to addressing these past challenges, fostering integrity and enhancing efficiency and has received support in this endeavours, including from the African Development Bank.

NDB has become the latest to show support through an investment commitment that aims to modernise and improve the country’s freiht and rail sector.

Signed during NDB’s 9th Annual Meeting, the loan will be used enhance the efficiency and capacity of freight systems, while driving a rail network infrastructure renewal, locomotive overhauls and wagon fleet renewals. This programme is expected to restore freight rail volumes in South Africa, improving operational performance and reliability, and contributing to a sustainable future.

“We are delighted to partner with Transnet in this transformative initiative,” remarked NDB president, Dilma Rousseff. “This loan underscores NDB’s commitment to supporting sustainable development and economic growth in South Africa. By modernising the freight rail sector, we aim to facilitate more efficient logistics operations that will benefit the entire region and align with our goal of investing in a sustainable future.”

Transnet Group chief executive, Michelle Phillips, added, “This investment is important for Transnet, as we accelerate implementation of the Recovery Plan and economic reforms. The modernisation programme will enhance our operational capabilities and contribution to the growth and competitiveness of the economy. We are grateful for NDB’s support and look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Capital raised from the Series A round has been used to ramp up electric motorcycle and battery production, expand the company’s swap station network, and continue R&D on battery technology and software. (Image source: Ampersand)

Ampersand, a leading EV energy tech company, has revealed total raised equity of US$21.5mn over the last 12 months

New investments from AHL Venture Partners and Everstrong Capital has bolstered the company’s total haul, alongside Beyond Capital Ventures reinvesting in a follow-up to its Series A equity commitment.

“This latest funding is a testament to the strong investor confidence in our business model as we continue to scale and innovate within the African e-mobility sector,” remarked Josh Whale, CEO of Ampersand. “With continued urbanisation, our mission to electrify transport, cut carbon emissions and drive clean economic prosperity is more crucial than ever.

The investments have been made ahead of the company’s Series B round and have been earmarked to support the expansion into East Africa.

“This additional investment will accelerate the rollout of our EV energy technology and infrastructure to the mass market, bringing us closer to our goal of deploying five million electric motorcycles by 2033,” Whale added. “As we look ahead to our upcoming Series B, we remain committed to reshaping how Africa moves by delivering affordable, low-carbon transport solutions that also drive green jobs and economic growth across the continent.”

E-mobility in the spotlight

Eva Yazhari, managing partner, Beyond Capital Ventures, commented, “Ampersand’s comprehensive approach to e-mobility in Africa exemplifies exactly the type of highly scalable solution Beyond Capital Ventures seeks to invest in. Among the e-mobility companies we evaluated, Ampersand stood out for its robust technology, strong market traction, and clear vision for transforming transportation networks across the continent. We view Ampersand as a climate and infrastructure play and by backing Ampersand, BCV's primary goal is to contribute to increased economic development and the growth of capital markets in the region.”

Ampersand’s heavy-duty commercial motorcycle fleet already covers 3,000,000 km a week in Kigali and Nairobi, according to the company. Its AI-enabled smart battery technology allows drivers to exchange batteries within minutes at the nearest ‘swap-station.

“We chose to be part of Ampersand’s growth capital because we found that commercial boda boda riders wanted Ampersand’s bikes for their strength, design and battery swapping convenience – not to mention that Ampersand is an early entrant to the electric motorcycle markets in Rwanda and Kenya,” surmised Phil Dyk, founder and managing partner at Everstrong Capital.

Ampersand is not the only e-mobility that has recognised the opportunity presented by the East African market as Spiro has recently officially launched operations in Uganda. Click here to find out more.

The port will be connected to a network of additional infrastructure, including a free zone and multimodal logistics infrastructure. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

British International Investment (BII), a development finance institution and impact investor, has announced its intention to invest up to US$35mn for the development of a new container port in the DRC

The new deepwater container port, the Port of Banana, will be the first of its kind in the country and will enhance the country’s access to international markets. It is hoped that, with the timely delivery of the project, the DRC will be able to unlock its vast trading potential, for the benefit of millions of its citizens.

“This investment from BII will help transform DRC’s economy, establishing the country as a major trading hub on the continent, and providing a significant boost to local sectors from infrastructure, logistics and green energy,” remarked the UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury. “Today’s announcement is a brilliant example of the UK-DRC partnership in action, working together to increase trade opportunities and drive sustainable economic growth that creates full and productive employment for many.”

BII’s commitment to the DRC port is an extension of the partnership between the organisation and DP World, a global port and logistics operator. This cooperation has seen the two companies support the modernisation and expansion of ports in Senegal, Egypt and Somaliland. Under the new agreement, the BII funding will be provided for the development of the first phase of the Port of Banana. This will be the first of multiple development stages that will gradually increase capacity over time.

Plugging DRC into the international market

The new port in the DRC will boast a draft of 17.5 m, allowing it to receive large container vessels from around the globe. According to BII, it will become a single gateway for imports and exports of containers in the country and is expected to cut the cost of trade in the country by 12%, generating around US$1.12bn in additional trade. Moreover, in another booster for the economy, around 85,000 jobs will be developed during development.

“The development impact case for investing in ports is irrefutable. Africa has a sixth of the world’s population, but accounts for just 4% of global containerised shipping volumes,” commented Chris Chijiutomi, managing director and head of Africa for BII. “Ports are vital to the long-term prosperity and wellbeing of countless people across the continent. The Port of Banana will play a major role in supporting the economic aspirations of millions living in DRC. This investment forms part of BII’s ongoing commitment to investing in key sectors in Africa, with further projects under development in the region.”

Mohammed Akoojee, CEO of sub-Saharan Africa for DP World, added, “We are excited to continue our partnership with British International Investment in developing the Port of Banana. This project is a significant step towards enhancing the DRC’s trade infrastructure, unlocking economic potential, and creating jobs. By reducing trade costs and improving access to global markets, we aim to support the DRC’s growth and prosperity. We look forward to the positive impact this development will have on the region and its people.”

This is but one of many recent investments unveiled by BII. In July, the organisation announced a US$20mn senior secured loan to TerraPay in order to enhance the efficiency of remittance transfers on the continent. Learn more at: www.africanreview.com/finance/us-20mn-loan-boosts-african-remittances

Bobcat can now offer its customers an even more complete package of material handling solutions. (Image source: Bobcat)

After the addition of Doosan forklifts to Bobcat's compact machine portfolio, the company has indicated its intention that the forklift line will benefit from the innovations that it has developed in recent years for its compact machines

Bobcat has confirmed that the focus of its R&D approach in this area will be in improving connectivity, performance, sustainability and safety. Thanks to the acquisition of sister company, Doosan Industrial Vehicle, Bobcat can now offer its customers an even more complete package of material handling solutions. The rebranded Doosan equipment builds on the existing compact loaders and telehandlers from Bobcat, which can be equipped with attachments such as buckets, grabs, bale clamps, dump hoppers and pallet forks, so they can be used in many industries for material handling and logistics work.

The forklift range alone consists of dozens of models, including diesel forklifts with a lifting capacity of 2 to 16 tonne; LPG forklift trucks with a lifting capacity of 1.5 to 7 tonne and electric forklift trucks with a lifting capacity of 1.5 to 10 tonne.

The ranges of machines fit together seamlessly and share the same philosophies behind their design. In this way, they have the same focus on robust, powerful machines that can work long hours and require little maintenance. Optimal comfort, ease of operation and safety for the driver are also important principles for R&D.

Product development has led to a number of interesting innovations at Bobcat. These include the electric machines that Bobcat has presented to the market in recent years, with the E10e and E19e mini-excavators now available for purchase in Europe, the fully electric T7X track loader in a limited launch in North America and the S7X skid-steer loader and the recently revealed TL25.60e electric telehandler concept machines, being the most eye-catching. In addition, the MaxControl remote control for machines and MachineIQ for remote monitoring of machines have also been introduced.

But the company has indicated that developments will go even further. Vijayshekhar Nerva, responsible for innovation at Bobcat EMEA, confirms the four key principles for R&D outlined above. The first is connectivity. Companies have access to enormous amounts of data that are important for their activities and that data must be available in real time and in the machines as well. It also concerns the performance and productivity of machines. They must function optimally when carrying out work. The third principle is sustainability. This not only concerns emissions, but also the use of sustainable, robust materials in the production of machines and ease of maintenance, so that machines last longer.

Prioritising safety and efficiency

At Bobcat’s recent Demo Days event for the EMEA region, visitors were able to see the very latest developments in the fourth segment of safety and efficiency. They included new Operator Presence technology that leverages a 3D time-of-flight (ToF) camera to monitor users' movements and the cab environment, enhancing safety by preventing unintended machine actions. The Pedestrian Detection Camera uses AI-enabled processing capabilities to differentiate between humans and surroundings, reducing unnecessary operator alerts.

Bobcat’s transparent OLED (T-OLED) screen technology, developed with LG and BSI Research, enables operators to access various functionalities without taking their eyes off the worksite. This technology facilitates advanced applications like real-time virtual reality (VR) simulations for utility line mapping.

Going electric

Bobcat has recently showcased innovations for logistics and material handling. These include prototypes of the B18NT electric forklift truck with 3 wheels and a lithium battery and the B30X-7 Plus hydrogen forklift truck.

An important expansion now on the market is the new NXE series of electric forklift trucks with 4-wheel drive. The series consists of forklift trucks with a capacity of 6 to 10 tonne, which are suitable for heavy applications in container transport, machine construction and industry. These zero-emission machines can work an entire day on a battery charge and are of course very suitable for work in factories and warehouses. The machines offer excellent visibility and (in Bobcat style) a lot of comfort and features as standard that make operation easier.