The Ethio Djibouti Railway has introduced special open top gondola wagons into its cargo operations as it seeks to address capacity constraints worsened by Ethiopia’s ongoing fuel shortage.

In a letter dated April 8 and addressed to the Customs Commission, the railway said the additional wagons, identified as CW3 and CW4, are being deployed to strengthen freight movement and improve cargo handling flexibility.

Unlike conventional wagons, the newly introduced gondola wagons are open at the top and cannot be sealed during transport. Because of this design, the railway requested authorization to use the wagons for transporting green-seal cargo and goods considered to be of exclusive public interest.

The railway also reported a sharp increase in demand for containerized freight and indicated that carrying 12 meter containers on top of gondola wagons had emerged as a practical solution to ease transport bottlenecks.

As part of the arrangement, the railway requested advance clearance for certain shipments, particularly government cargo, to allow them to bypass Dewale Station and undergo inspection at their final destination instead.

The move comes as cargo volumes bound for Ethiopia continue to rise. The railway has also returned previously idle wagons, including gondolas, to service in order to expand capacity for bagged goods, machinery, and containerized freight.

Source: Capital Ethiopia Newspaper