'This will only be viable if AVZ & partners operate the barge or vessel themselves IMHO'
I think they would be nuts to do it any other way fwiw ....being charged $$ per tonne by barging company shifting say 5000 tonne per week over X amount of years....how many barges do you think that would pay for ? You'd want to be able to control the barging schedule yourself.
Upgrading route (1) Manono - Mitwaba - Bunkeya - Luambo instead of (2) Manono to Bukama.
Well my guess is that the first route serves more and larger townships than route two does ; its also on better terrain than the Manono to Bukama route is on; theres alot of channels that run down through that N33 route which will no doubt cause considerable issues in wet
Manono to Bukama elevation -
The Mitwaba Kiubo route as seen below, is more uniform elevation and on higher ground which would provide for less roading issues during the wet. There will be considerable more quarry / burrow pits in the high ground area as opposed to on the N33 route.
