Lobito Atlantic Railway starts operations
The inaugural vessel has successfully docked at the mineral terminal of the Port of Lobito, managed by the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) consortium. This consortium holds the concession for the operation, management, and maintenance of the railway connecting Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The MV Lindsaylou, a bulk cargo vessel carrying a substantial load of 40,500 tonnes of sulphur, docked on Friday, July 12, signaling the commencement of port operations for LAR.
This vessel embarked from Qatar and arrived at Lobito after a journey spanning approximately a month. The unloading and subsequent storage of the cargo are being conducted entirely using local labor and equipment sourced within Angola. These operations adhere to stringent environmental and safety protocols, utilizing two automatic hoppers that were both designed and manufactured in Angola.
Initially, the sulphur cargo will be stored at the mineral terminal in bags. Following this, the cargo will be loaded onto LAR’s international cargo trains destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo. This shipment is intended to support refined copper production by mining companies operating in the Katanga region.
Francisco Franca, President of the Board of Directors of LAR, commented on the arrival of the first vessel and the initiation of operations at the mineral terminal. He stated, “This event marks the culmination of assembling all necessary logistics to fully operationalize and develop LAR to its maximum potential.” Franca also emphasized LAR’s commitment to enhancing the most critical logistics corridor in the region and expanding the volume of railway and port operations. This expansion aims to achieve the strategic goals set by the Government of Angola for this vital corridor of regional economic development.
The initiation of LAR’s port operations follows extensive rehabilitation work conducted since the railway operations began in January of this year. To date, these efforts have facilitated the circulation of 1,800 trains, encompassing both passenger and freight services, on national and international routes. Specifically, two international freight trains travel weekly from the DRC to the Port of Lobito, complemented by around 50 domestic freight trains each month. Future projections indicate that, following further planned investments, six international freight trains will transit daily.
The project to refurbish the railway line represents a significant investment exceeding USD 800 million over the lifetime of the concession. This investment is directed towards the renovation of various sections of the railway line and associated infrastructure. It also includes the acquisition of new wagons and locomotives. A comprehensive financing package is currently under discussion, with potential investment from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) being considered. LAR has already commenced investment activities, including the purchase of rolling stock and the initiation of maintenance work on the existing railway line.
Currently, the consortium employs over 650 workers, who are dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the railway line from Lobito to Luau at the DRC border and managing operations at the mineral terminal. This workforce is crucial in ensuring the smooth operation and continuous improvement of this critical logistics corridor.
