The LAR – Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium announced on Friday the successful shipment of its first copper load from the Port of Lobito to the United States.
The copper was transported on the container ship MSC SAMU, marking a significant milestone since the consortium took over the Lobito Corridor concession in January 2024. Prior shipments have already been made to ports in Europe and the Far East.
According to a statement from LAR, the copper cathodes destined for Baltimore arrived at the Port of Lobito on August 19th, just six days after being dispatched from Kolwezi on a train operated by LAR.
The company views this achievement as a “clear demonstration” of the efficiency of transporting minerals to the international market via the Lobito Corridor.
Francisco Franca, the President of LAR’s Board of Directors, highlighted that this shipment reflects the growing interest of international shipping companies in the Port of Lobito.
This development is expected to boost the consortium’s operations and enable regular shipments of raw materials to Europe and America.
LAR, a joint venture comprising Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis SA, won a 30-year concession to operate the Lobito Corridor.
Since January 2024, LAR has managed and maintained the 1,300-kilometer railway line that stretches from the Port of Lobito in Angola to Luau in the east, connecting with the railway network managed by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reaching Kolwezi, the heart of the Copperbelt.
With over 650 employees, LAR also operates the Port of Lobito Mining Terminal, which is linked to the railway line, providing faster and more efficient service at one of the least congested ports on the Atlantic coast.
