Angola’s Ministry of Transport has launched an international tender for the operation, management and maintenance of the Benguela Railway, also known as the Lobito Corridor, for a period of 30 years. The Ministry plans to create a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be controlled by private operators, or by a single entity with majority participation of the government.
The Benguela Railway concession period of 30 years is aimed at revitalizing exports of copper and cobalt to global markets via the Port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast.
The Angolan government seeks to attract operators specialised in logistics and freight transport, as well as with the expertise to manage, maintain and make technical improvements to the rail infrastructure.
The concessionaire will be responsible for the operation, exploration and maintenance of the Lobito-Luau railway infrastructure, with the possibility of building a 259-km line from Luacano to Gingi for direct rail access to Zambia’s Copperbelt.
The concessionaire will also be responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of two freight terminals in Lobito and Luau to support the rail freight transport service; the operation and maintenance of the railway workshops; and the management of a training center in Huambo province.
Interested bidders must have the technical and financial capacity and extensive experience in operating such type of infrastructure. Bids are to be submitted on the Ministry’s website by December 7, 2021.
Benguela Railway is a 1344km Cape gauge railway line that connects the Katanga mining region in the DRC and the Copperbelt in Zambia to the Atlantic coast.
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