Lobito Atlantic Railway Reinforces Transport Capacity with New Wagons

Lobito, November 14, 2024 – The Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) has taken an important step this week towards strengthening its transport capacity with the arrival in Lobito, Angola, of the first batch of 275 new container wagons purchased from Galison Manufacturing in South Africa.

This strategic investment into new wagons is part of LAR's expansion and modernisation plan over the next three years. The wagons include a modern pneumatic braking system and light steel structure, contributing to safer and more efficient transport operations.

The new wagons, weighing 13.5 tonnes and with a load capacity of up to 60.5 tonnes, are designed to each carry one 40-foot container or two 20-foot containers, offering logistical flexibility to LAR and its customers' operations. These wagons will reinforce LAR's ability to increase the volume and capacity of the railway for commercial cargoes in the coming years.

The arrival of this batch of wagons is the first of a series of weekly deliveries expected from now until 2026, progressively expanding LAR’s fleet. This investment highlights LAR's commitment to modern and safe equipment, aligned with its growth plan and the need to respond to market demand.

ENDS

For further information please contact Lobito Atlantic Railway’s press office:

Dina Cortinhas | | dcortinhas@jlma.co.ao | +244 912 888 150

Jorge Salvador | jsalvador@jlma.co.ao | +244 927 323 722

About the Lobito Atlantic Railway

A 30-year concession has been awarded to the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium joint-venture comprising Trafigura, a market leader in the global commodities industry, Mota-Engil, an international construction and infrastructure management company and Vecturis SA, an independent rail operator.

Since January 2024, the Lobito Atlantic Railway has been operating, managing and maintaining the railway line that extends across Angola for almost 1,300km between the Port of Lobito to Luau in eastern Angola and connects with the rail network run by the National Railway Society of the Congo (SNCC) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Kolwezi, the heart of the Copperbelt.

The Lobito Atlantic Railway also operates the mineral terminal at the Port of Lobito that connects to the railway line. The port facilitates a faster and efficient service in a decongested port on the Atlantic coast.

LAR currently employs more than 650 members of staff who are divided between company management and railway and port operations. They have mainly transferred from CFB - Caminhos de Ferro de Benguela and the Port of Lobito - and are expected to grow in number significantly due to the increase in the concessionaire's activity.

After investment, the railway will provide a quicker western route to market for minerals and metals produced in the Congolese Copperbelt. The upgraded railway line will also help bring vital goods and resources into the region and support business development and commercial activity along the route.

The LAR consortium is the concession holder for the operation, management and maintenance of the Lobito corridor railway linking Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo. A separate US-EU supported pre-feasibility study is underway into extending the Lobito railway from northern Zambia to eastern Angola.

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