By NAKUBIANA MUMBUNA –
THE Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) has raised a total of US $146,000 from the transportation of cargo through the Nacala corridor railway line since it started operating in May this year.
Government allocated funds for the rehabilitation of ZRL which had deteriorated during the concession to Railway Systems of Zambia before terminating it.
A total of US$ 8.6 million is expected to be raised through transportation of cargo by December 2014.
ZRL Head of Corporate Affairs Benson Ngula said the organisation was also expected to transport over 100, 000 tonnes of cargo through the Nacala corridor railway line by December 2014.
He said ZRL has so far transported a total of 34,810 tonnes of cargo through the corridor.
Mr Ngula also said the port of Nacala was strategic to Zambia because it was the deepest among all the ports in the region and that it was the shortest route to transport goods into Zambia.

ZRL is also expected to move a total of 80,000 tonnes of fertiliser for 2014-2015 farming season for Nyiombo from the port of Nacala into Chipata by September.
Mr Ngula further revealed that ZRL would by tomorrow move a total of 500 metric tonnes of cotton for China Africa Cotton (CAC) through the Nacala corridor.
He said another 500 metric tonnes of cotton for Majeet Cotton Zambia was expected to be transported through the corridor in the next few weeks.
Mr Ngula added that the organisation also plans to start operating a passenger train in future.
Following the opening of the Nacala corridor, COMESA Secretary General Sandiso Ngwenya said the corridor will boost trade in the Common Market for Eastern Southern Africa (COMESA) region.