Johannesburg, South Africa – Sasol will today commence with transporting an abnormal load – a one of a kind 91 000kg Acid Gas Scrubber column – from Johannesburg to Secunda, Mpumalanga as part of preparations for its annual maintenance shutdown in September.

More than 60m long and nearly height, the AK column as it is also called, was manufactured by Kelvion Thermal Solutions, a Germiston-based producer of pressure vessels and heat exchangers, to replace the existing column, which has reached the end of its lifespan.

The new replacement column will be used to safely remove specific gases from the ammonia-rich stream at Sasol Synfuels’ Phenosolvan plant in Secunda.  Sasol Group Technology is overseeing the project.

Motorists are requested to exercise caution when travelling on the following roads between this afternoon (Tuesday, 02 August 2016) and Friday, 05 August 2016: R554 towards Alberton, R103 towards Heidelberg; R550 to Nigel; R51 to Balfour; R548 to Devon; R29 to Leandra and Kinross and R580 to Secunda.

The column will leave Germiston this afternoon and is scheduled to be delivered before the end of the week.

Traffic updates will be available on radio stations in the respective areas to alert motorists.