The Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) has deployed special open-top gondola wagons to address a cargo backlog caused by Ethiopia's fuel shortage. EDR CEO Takele Uma informed the Customs Commission in an April 8 letter that the railway is using CW3 and CW4 gondola wagons to boost freight capacity.
The Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR), a joint venture between Ethiopia and Djibouti, has introduced open-top gondola wagons into its cargo operations to tackle capacity shortages worsened by Ethiopia's fuel crisis.
In a letter dated April 8 to the Customs Commission, EDR CEO Takele Uma announced the use of CW3 and CW4 gondola wagons to enhance freight movement. These wagons, open at the top and unsuitable for sealing, require permission for green seals on specific cargoes and goods serving public interest.
"The commission was requested to transport cargos with green seal and exclusively public interest goods on this unique wagons," the letter states. Uma noted a surge in demand for containerized freight, suggesting 40-foot containers be loaded atop gondolas as an optimal solution.
EDR seeks advance clearance for certain consignments, particularly government shipments, to skip Dewale Station, with inspections at the final destination. Information from EDR's Djibouti office shows cargo volumes to Ethiopia rising sharply.
Brikti Solomon, EDR's operations head in Djibouti, said the company reactivated idle wagons, including gondolas, to boost capacity. "We are including all kinds of cargo—bagged goods, heavy machinery, and containerised cargo," she told Capital. Twenty-four gondola wagons are assigned to this service.
