Lobito Atlantic Railway, which operates the Lobito corridor, has received the first batch of container railcars as part of its order for 275 units placed last May with South African group Galison Manufacturing. Each railcar weighs 13.5 tonnes and is designed to carry one 40-foot or two 20-foot containers. All 275 railcars should be delivered over 30 months. This purchase is part of a larger investment plan, with the consortium announcing a total investment of $455 million for developing the Lobito corridor. This investment includes acquiring 35 locomotives and 1,555 wagons.

This delivery comes a few days after critical minerals shipments from the DRC to Angol, via the Lobito corridor, have resumed. This resulted in significant time savings, indicating an expected increase in transport flows. The new rail vehicles are expected to enhance the Group's operational capabilities for mineral exports, linking the cobalt and copper mines of the DRC and Zambia to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Lobito corridor plays a strategic role in this value chain and is becoming essential in global efforts to secure critical mineral supplies. The United States, European Union, Italy, and several other donors have announced significant investments in this route. Ultimately, the plan is to extend the corridor from Angolan ports on the Atlantic Ocean to coastal countries in East Africa, whose ports are located on the Indian Ocean.

Ecofin Agency