Lobito Atlantic Railway Assumes Control of Benguela Railway Operations
In a significant development reported on January 25, the Lobito Atlantic Railway S.A. officially assumed operational control of the Benguela Railway, a pivotal rail infrastructure within the Lobito Corridor.
The inaugural departure of the first two trains was sanctioned at 5:00, with the Board of Directors of the Caminho de Ferro de Benguela in attendance, as shared on Vecturis’ LinkedIn page.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway S.A. represents a collaborative joint venture involving Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis, tasked with managing the primary railway concession integral to the Lobito Corridor.
A key stipulation for winning the concession, outlined on the Trafigura website, mandated an investment exceeding $450 million in the railway infrastructure, along with securing more than 1,500 wagons and 35 locomotives. The 30-year concession was officially granted on November 4, 2022.
Jeremy Weir, the CEO of Trafigura, expressed the transformative vision of the project upon winning the concession, stating, “Our project will not only create a western route to market for goods and materials.
We believe the Lobito rail corridor has huge potential to boost the development of sectors along the line including heavy industry, agriculture, and mining, creating new jobs and new opportunities. We believe the Lobito railway will be a catalyst for growth and investment in Angola, DRC, Zambia, and the wider region.”
SOURCE:lobitocorridor.org
