TANZANIA – Coca-Cola Kwanza, a Tanzanian subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, is switching its fleet to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) type, which is clean and cheap energy to cut vehicle running costs and protect the environment.

The company has received its first CNG-powered truck from Scania Tanzania Ltd to help it transition to a more economical and eco-friendly mode of transport.

Driving on gas, according to Scania, reduces cost by 12 percent per month when operating 85,000 km per year, and the locally available natural gas is also 20 percent less expensive. Also, the price level is more stable compared to imported diesel.

Scania Tanzania, Business Development Manager, Ms. Eliavera Timoth, said the truck conforms to the cleanest emission norm available, Euro 6, operating on optional gas or biogas.

“Our gas engines have been continuously improved through generations, today providing a high torque and performance, as well as improved fuel consumption compared to the currently sold Eu3 diesel,” Ms. Timoth said.

Apart from being environmentally friendly, she added that gas is obtained more locally. Its usage will create local jobs and help reduce the foreign currencies’ demand while creating further tax revenue streams.

“In Tanzania, most of the investment is already made, with the gas pipe into Dar es Salaam and the mother station in Ubungo in place. Running on CNG is cheaper and will reduce the importation of diesel,” she insisted.

As much as the use of natural gas will cut Coca-Cola Kwanza’s operational costs by 27 percent on every trip to and from Morogoro based on the company’s pilot study, the logistics director for Coca-Cola Kwanza, Mr. Haji Mzee, said only two filling stations located at Ubungo and Tazara, a trend that has sometimes been causing long queues.

Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) earlier this month announced that nine natural gas filling stations will be built in the country within the next 24 months as demand increases.

Awareness of the benefits of using the CNG to power vehicles is gaining momentum in Tanzania, and thus, service providers now find it hard to keep pace with growing demand.

Ms. Timoth revealed that poor air quality causes 1 out of 8 deaths where emissions from transportation are a large contributor.

For all the latest food industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel.