The Angolan government launched an international public tender for the Moçâmedes Railway on Friday, reports the Portuguese news agency Lusa.
Speaking at the announcement, land transport secretary Jorge Bengue emphasised the importance of the railway to revitalising the Namibe Corridor. The 855-kilometre railway connects the recently rehabilitated port in Moçâmedes (Namibe) to Menongue (Cuando Cubango) by way of Lubango (Huíla) and several other cities across the three provinces.
He also noted that two airports located along the line, in Namibe and Huíla, are currently undergoing upgrades for certification and the start of international flights.
The 30-year concession includes operation, management and maintenance of the railway, which can be extended for an additional 20 years if the winning bidder includes a connection to Namibia or Zambia. Proposals must be submitted by 4 May.
[See more: Angola inaugurates its first major copper mine, entering an ‘era of critical minerals’]
The goal for the Namibe Corridor, Bengue emphasised, is to promote national agriculture and mining production, job creation, technical and professional training, as well as reduce logistics costs and improve freight transport efficiency.
“We want to move beyond the current average of around 200,000 tons transported by rail per year and, about 10 years into the concession, reach volumes of approximately 5 million tons per year,” he said.
Eugénio Fernandes, a senior concessions official at the Ministry of Transport, noted that the Angolan and Namibian governments are currently undertaking technical work on the rail line.
He pointed to Santa Clara, located about 300 kilometres south of the existing Moçâmedes Railway, as a potential option for extending the line to Namibia. Across the border from Santa Clara is Oshikango, where a billion-dollar rail line sits largely idle, forming a possible connection to Angola.
