Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) – a joint venture between commodities trader Trafigura, construction firm Mota-Engil and independent rail operator Vecturis – has ordered 275 container wagons as part of the Lobito Corridor project – a 1,300 km railway line connecting the Zambian and DRC copper belts to Angola’s Port of Lobito.
The wagons will be built by South African company Galison Manufacturing and delivered in three batches, with the first delivery expected to be made by the end of 2024.
“The new wagons are compatible with the existing rolling stock in the Southern African Development Community region. They were designed considering local conditions on the railway to ensure the smooth transport of critical minerals and other materials for both domestic and international traffic,” LAR CEO Francisco Franca said on June 19.
The Lobito Corridor is a joint project being undertaken by Angola, Zambia and the DRC to refurbish sections of the Lobito railway and related infrastructure, as well as fund new wagons and locomotives, therefore significantly reducing cargo transit times.
