It is a lot of trucks and a sheet load of concentrate.
This is all off top of head but I remember reading that the Bamako-Abidjan corridor does about 700ktpa. The Bamako-Dakar corridor does 1.7Mtpa. Then the Abidjan -Ouaga? corridor does like another 600ktpa.
That was in a report, maybe 2013? A lot of trucks needed for that, because concentrate much denser than say cotton.
Mali import-export gap from ivory coast is like 50-60%, which is roughly a 2:1 ratio on trucks going into Bamako loaded compared to those going out. That capacity alone is probably enough.
The cote d'ivore fleets are mostly organised in syndicates. I've been told several of these syndicates have over 300 trucks each.
As you said this would be a huge operation and with 50-60 trucks a day, this is a big contract. Basically guaranteed income for these guys, locks down years of transport carry for them. They will take big multiyear contracts over many small clients anyday.
Remember that the Abidjan rail is currently being upgraded and once completed, should provide a better alternative. I read somewhere that the sweetspot for Mali transport is about 500km. Any travel distance greater than that will benefit from train route. I believe the Abidjan to Burkina Faso upgrade will be completed in 2021? Maybe 2022? This has capacity of 5Mtpa.
1-2 years then use rail/road combo. Even lower transport costs? Probably.
Of course this is just me on my phone, but there is a ridiculous amount of research on logistics on these West Africa transport corridors, some of it is a decade old but the pfs are all online. So take me on face value and maybe DYOR to confirm.
BGS Price at posting:
51.0¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
