LAR in Angola reinforces transport capacity with new wagons

(Posted on 20/11/24)

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.

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.

LAR also operates the Porto do Lobito Mineral Terminal, which connects to the railway line, providing faster and more efficient service in one of the most uncongested ports on the Atlantic coast.

This strategic investment into new wagons is part of LAR's expansion and modernization 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 tons and with a load capacity of up to 60.5 tons, 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.

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.

LAR currently employs more than 650 employees, divided between the company's management and railway and port operations. These workers have mostly transferred from CFB - Caminhos de Ferro de Benguela and the Porto of Lobito, and are expected to grow significantly in number 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.