A cargo train transporting 960 tons of raw copper ore arrived in the port city of Lobito (Benguela) on the morning of December 31st, originating from the Kolwezi region in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The seventeen-vehicle train, including a GE locomotive model C30ACi, and 16 LC-type wagons, departed from Luau station in the Moxico province on Friday at 4:30 PM, covering a distance of 1,289 kilometers in 38 hours until it reached the Lobito Commercial Port.
This marks the first shipment of ore since the signing of the concession transfer agreement for railway services and logistical support of the Lobito Corridor between the Angolan Government and representatives of the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium on July 4, 2023.
Artur Silva, the Commercial Director of Lobito Atlantic Railways (LAR), stated that this inaugural experimental train is the first of many anticipated to start from January 2024, aiming to transport ten thousand tons of minerals from the Katanga region in the Democratic Republic of Congo via the Lobito Corridor.
“This initial experimental shipment is intended for international markets, specifically Europe and Asia. Starting in January, we aim to increase our capacity to transport 10,000 tons, and throughout the year, more than 200,000 tons of goods,” explained Artur Silva.
He did not specify the duration of the cargo’s stay at the Lobito Port or its exact destination but assured that the location has been secured.
“There will be a period of bagging, containerizing, and then it will be exported to the intended markets. Therefore, its packaging at the site is assured,” he added.
Meanwhile, Fausto Carvalho, the Commercial Director of the Benguela Railway Company (CFB), highlighted the importance of this shipment in the context of diversifying the country’s economy.
He further explained, “Although it’s not the first shipment through the Lobito Corridor, this event we have just witnessed opens a new cycle for the national economy, involving national entities, the State, and multinational corporations, the LAR consortium.”
It’s worth noting that after the reopening of the Lobito Corridor, the first shipment of raw copper ore took place on March 5, 2018, originating from the Tenken mines (DRC), witnessed by government officials, business figures, and the local population of Lobito city.
In September 2018, Julien Rolland, a member of Trafigura’s management committee, a Dutch company part of the concessionaire, mentioned that the reopening of the commercial route, suspended for over 40 years, between Lobito (Angola) and Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), “has the potential to mark the beginning of a new chapter.”
Congolese copper has typically been exported through ports in Beira, Mozambique; Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; or Durban, South Africa.
