Africa – Page 20
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NewsNacala investment package complete
MOZAMBIQUE: Brazilian mining and steel group Vale has signed binding financial contracts which complete the investment structure for the Nacala Logistics Corridor. Announced on November 27, the deal covers US$1·03bn from Japan Bank for International Co-operation, a US$1bn loan insured by Nippon Export & Investment Insurance and a US$400m loan ...
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NewsSNCF to assist PRASA with renewal programme
SOUTH AFRICA: Under a tripartite agreement signed on November 27, SNCF and French government development agency AFD have agreed to provide technical and financial assistance worth R6·2m to suburban passenger operator Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. Commencing from the start of December, the 12-month partnership will provide technical expertise, ...
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NewsThales awarded Egyptian signalling contract
EGYPT: Egyptian National Railways has awarded Thales a three-year contract to modernise signalling and telecoms on the 180 km Asyut – Nagaa Hammadi section of the Cairo – Aswan corridor. Announcing the contract on November 16, Thales said its integrated signalling and communications technology would be designed to work with ...
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NewsAlstom to supply more trams to Rabat
MOROCCO: Société des Transports de Rabat-Salé has signed a €45m contract with Alstom for the supply of 22 Citadis trams, the manufacturer announced on October 26. The 32 m long low-floor vehicles will run in coupled pairs and will augment the fleet of 44 Citadis trams that Alstom supplied ...
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NewsTraxtion Group targets African rail market
AFRICA: The Sheltam group has been rebranded as Traxtion Group, following a 30% investment from Harith General Partners’ Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund 2. Traxtion Group aims to partner with locomotive and wagon manufacturers, track construction companies, consulting engineers and project developers in the African rail market. Chairman Brian ...
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Metro Report InternationalCities pledge to buy zero-emission buses
INTERNATIONAL: The mayors of 12 cities pledged to procure only zero-emission buses from 2025 when they signed the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration on October 23. The leaders of London, Paris, København, Barcelona, Milano, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Mexico City, Quito, Auckland and Cape Town ‘envision a future where walking, ...
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NewsMorogoro – Makutupora standard gauge line contract awarded
TANZANIA: State railway infrastructure authority Reli Assets Holding Co has awarded Turkish company Yapı Merkezi a US$1·92bn contract to build the 336 km Morogoro – Makutupora 1 435 mm gauge line. This is the second phase of a proposed 2 200 km standard gauge network which would connect Dar es ...
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NewsMarrakech trolleybus route inaugurated
MOROCCO: Revenue services on the first trolleybus route in Marrakech began on September 29, two days after an official opening ceremony. The 11 km route between Massira and Gueliz forms the first phase of a larger network that is planned to be commissioned by the end of 2019. Buses ...
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NewsHarsco wins orders in Saudi Arabia and South Africa
HARSCO: The Harsco Rail track maintenance division of Harsco announced two orders with a total value of US$25m on September 27. The first contract covers the supply of rail grinding machines for use on Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High Speed Rail line between Makkah and Medinah, and includes initial operator training ...
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NewsRATP Dev retains Casablanca tram operating contract
MOROCCO: RATP Dev announced on September 18 that it had been awarded a 12-year contract to operate and maintain the Casablanca tram network. The value of the contract, which starts on December 13, was not disclosed. Through its local subsidiary Casa Tram, RATP Dev has been responsible for operating line ...
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NewsIHHA conference considers rail’s role in a changing world
INTERNATIONAL: ‘This is a journey, not just an event’, emphasised Transnet Freight Rail General Manager, Capital Projects, Brian Monakali, welcoming delegates to the 11th International Heavy Haul Association conference which began in Cape Town on September 4. Newly elected as IHHA Chairman for the next two years, Monakali said ...
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NewsEgyptian National Railways plans to form stand-alone freight business
EGYPT: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development has invited expressions of interest in a contract to assist Egyptian National Railways with the planned conversion of its freight business into a stand-alone subsidiary company. The intention is that this would have managerial independence and operate through commercial relationships with the ...
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NewsBearings meet tough specification and tight deadlines
MOROCCO: National operator ONCF has awarded SKF a contract to supply 15 000 passenger and freight rolling stock wheelset bearings over three years. Announcing the win on August 28, SKF said it was the only supplier which could meet ONCF’s strict technical specifications and begin delivering ready-certified bearings with a ...
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NewsGood times ahead as Tazara and ZRL sign open access freight agreement
AFRICA: Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority and Zambia Railways Ltd have signed an open access agreement intended to facilitate the seamless movement of freight trains across each other’s infrastructure. Tazara hopes to gain an additional 200 000 tonnes of freight in the first year of the agreement. ‘In the past, Tazara and ...
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NewsAuckland DMUs shipped to Mozambique
MOZAMBIQUE: Eight diesel multiple-units as well as spare parts are being shipped from New Zealand to Mozambique, where they are to operate passenger services around Maputo. The 1 067 mm gauge two-car units have been surplus to requirements since electrification in Auckland in 2014. ‘Selling the trains reduces Auckland Transport’s ...
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NewsBombardier and Bouygues to sell Gautrain concession stakes
SOUTH AFRICA: Engineering and construction services company Murray & Roberts has signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire the 8·5% stakes in Gautrain concessionaire Bombela Concession Co held by Bouygues Travaux Publics and Bombardier Transportation. Commercial terms for the deal worth a total of R405m have been agreed and agreements ...
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NewsBenguela railway handover
ANGOLA: Construction company China Railway 20 Bureau Group has formally handed over further sections of the 1 301 km Benguela Railway to the government of Angola. Events marking the transfer of ownership were held on June 29 in Kuito and on July 27 at Luau, close to the border with ...
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NewsCairo electric railway agreement signed
EGYPT: The National Authority for Tunnels signed a US$1·24bn contract on August 15 for the construction of a electric railway serving greater Cairo. Work is due to start in two to three months and will be carried out by a consortium of AVIC International and China Railway ...
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NewsTermination of Rift Valley Railways concession agreed
KENYA: The termination of Rift Valley Railways’ concession to operate the Kenyan section of the metre gauge Kenya – Uganda railway network has been agreed ‘by joint consent’ after the high court in Nairobi backed Kenya Railways’ attempts to end the contract. KR had sought to end the concession in ...
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Metro Report InternationalMauritius light rail contract signed
MAURITIUS: The government signed a Rs18·8bn contract with Larsen & Toubro on July 31 for the construction of the Metro Express light rail line, which would link Port Louis with Curepipe. L&T is responsible for civil works, electrification, signalling, the fare collection system and the passenger information system. It ...