I spent Sunday in lockdown looking at TER and the SA export...

I spent Sunday in lockdown looking at TER and the SA export strategy. I was wondering why the chose to ship via Maputo instead of Richards Bay. Yes, the rail track runs in both directions, so either was viable. From my googling, RB is a closed shop for exporters as its owned by 4 large miners and they dont like giving capacity to newcomers. The 4 residents pay approx $2-3t to use the terminal while everybody else pays $9-10t.
Apparently not long ago Maputo loaded via cranes and concrete skips as there was no mechanised loading, so it was very inefficient and approx $15t charged. It has been upgraded and is being further upgraded to reduce costs further and should soon be a lot closer to RB prices. As its run by a non mining company the rates are not 'political'. Glencore are apparently the resident big player but they have capacity to expand. The port can only cater for Panamex sized ships which are better suited to India, Turkey and a few other non Chinese customers. Turkey takes 4m tonnes per year from Maputo. This would explain the first smallish shipment exported for SA and the somewhat lower margin being reported from SA. If I am correct and im only guessing, the SA margin will ramp up pretty quickly inline with the exports from Maputo. They now have easy access to a port, lowering port charges, smaller ships and larger variation of customers on the spot market, and ability to divert all non Eskom coal to the spot market. SA may soon be the big winner in all of these changes if they can dig it up and move it while the price is hot. We have heard about refinance, improved margins at BA, and increased export tonnage from SA. We know two of them are confirmed (margins at BA and export from SA), now we need the trifecta to get the SP moving. Good numbers on all 3 over the next few weeks, and this could go anywhere.