Africa – Page 4
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NewsPrasa deploys vibration detection tool to prevent intrusion
SOUTH AFRICA: Huawei has deployed its railway perimeter security tool that uses both an optical fibre which can detect vibration and CCTV cameras across six depots managed by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa throughout the country. Huawei showcased the tool to Railway Gazette International at ...
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Metro Report InternationalCairo operator trials sign language services
EGYPT: Operator RATP Dev is trialling sign language services on the Capital Train line which connects Cairo with the New Administrative Capital. Instructional videos with sign language translation will be available at ticket offices and on platforms at Adly Mansour station, enabling passengers with hearing impairments ...
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Metro Report InternationalCasablanca tramway adds two lines
MOROCCO: Public services on tram routes T3 and T4 in Casablanca began on September 23 after an extended period of trial running over the summer. The city now has a network of 72·5 km with 110 stops. The fleet of Alstom Citadis trams has been expanded ...
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NewsZambia Lobito railway concession signed
AFRICA: The governments of Angola and Zambia have signed concession agreements with Africa Finance Corp paving the way for construction of an 800 km rail link between the two countries.
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NewsVelaro high speed train designed for Egypt’s hot and sandy conditions
EGYPT: The first of the 250 km/h Velaro high speed trains that Siemens Mobility is building for the 2 000 km turnkey rail system being developed in Egypt has been unveiled at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin. In a short event the train ...
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NewsTanzania-Zambia Railway concession to be signed this year
AFRICA: China Civil Engineering Construction Corp is in active negotiations for a 30-year concession to operate the Tanzania-Zambia Railway network and revitalise the infrastructure and rolling stock. CCECC built the Chinese-funded line in the 1970s, and recently undertook a comprehensive business and technical inspection of the network. ...
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NewsTransgabonais modernisation moves to next phase
GABON: Christian Magni, the Director General of Société d’exploitation du Transgabonais, and Loic Ndinga Moudouma, Minister of Transport, have signed a contract for the next phase of modernisation of the 648 km Libreville – Franceville railway. The government will contribute CFAFr130bn towards the estimated CFAFr359bn (€545m) ...
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Metro Report InternationalCairo Metro Line 1 to be modernised
EGYPT: The National Authority for Tunnels has awarded a €850m contract for renovation of Cairo Metro’s Line 1 to a consortium led by Colas Rail with Orascom Construction and Hitachi Rail. Colas Rail and Orascom will modernise power supplies, catenary and electromechanical systems, with Hitachi Rail ...
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NewsIndian and Malaysian rolling stock manufacturers announce strategic co-operation
INTERNATIONAL: Indian and Malaysian rolling stock manufacturers BEML Ltd and SMH Rail have signed a memorandum of understanding to co-operate in the marketing, manufacturing and maintenance of railway and metro rolling stock for customers in Asia and Africa. The companies’ plans include the joint design and ...
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NewsRailway partnership to enhance food security
AFRICA: The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, Zambia Railways and Calabash Freight are pooling resources including locomotives and wagons for an eight-month project to deliver 160 000 tonnes of maize from Makambako and Vwawa in Tanzania to Kalomo in Zambia. This forms part of the Food Reserve Agency ...
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NewsTunisia to Algeria passenger train services restart
AFRICA: Passenger train services from the Tunisian capital to Annaba in Algeria have restarted almost 30 years after being suspended. The first train left Tunis on August 11. Tunisia’s SNCFT will initially operate services from Tunis on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, returning from Annaba on Tuesdays, ...
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NewsZimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana sign draft railway agreement
AFRICA: Transport ministers from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana have signed a draft trilateral agreement for the implementation of the US$6·5bn Ponta Techobanine Railway Project which would improve links between the three countries. The signing at a meeting in Harare on August 2 builds on a 2011 ...
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NewsTanzanian electric train service reaches Dodoma
TANZANIA: The 258·2 km Morogoro – Dodoma standard gauge line was handed over with a ceremony on July 25 and the first electric passenger train service ran on August 1 with President Samia Suluhu Hassan onboard. The 201·8 km standard gauge line from Dar es Salaam ...
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NewsMoroccan high speed line extension support contract awarded
MOROCCO: National railway ONCF has appointed a Franco-Moroccan consortium of Egis, Systra and Novec to provide project management assistance services to support the development of the Kénitra – Marrakech high speed line. The contract announced by the consortium on August 1 covers project management, operations master ...
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NewsLocomotives ordered to support Simandou iron ore venture
GUINEA: The SimFer mining joint venture has awarded Wabtec a US$277m contract to supply Evolution Series ES43ACmi diesel locomotives for the Simandou iron ore project. The number of locos is not being disclosed but is understood to be several dozen. Wabtec said the dual-cab locomotives with ...
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NewsTransnet obtains US$1bn loan to stabilise South African rail network
SOUTH AFRICA: The African Development Bank has approved a US$1bn corporate loan to support national rail, port and logistics company Transnet’s business recovery plan, and is considering two targeted grants. The 25-year government-guaranteed loan approved on July 12 will facilitate the first phase of Transnet’s US$8·1bn ...
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NewsGuardian of the Nile luxury cruise train planned
EGYPT: Italian high-end hospitality company Arsenale and Egyptian National Railways have signed heads of terms for the launch of a Guardian of the Nile luxury cruise train in 2027. It is Arsenale’s fourth international rail cruise project, following announcements in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Uzbekistan. ...
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NewsMore coaches to boost capacity on Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway
KENYA: A further 20 coaches which CRRC Nanjing Puzhen is supplying to increase capacity on the 480 km Standard Gauge Railway route from Mombasa to Nairobi were shipped from Shanghai at the end of June. The contract signed in September covers a mix of first, second ...
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NewsProduction of Lobito Atlantic Railway container wagons begins
ANGOLA: South African company Galison Manufacturing has begun the production of 275 container wagons which railway concessionaire Lobito Atlantic Railway has ordered for delivery in three tranches from Q4 this year. The wagons are being made from high-strength steel to provided durability and a low weight ...
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NewsTanzania launches electric passenger train services
TANZANIA: Passenger services on the 201·8 km electrified standard gauge railway from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro were formally launched on June 14. President Samia Suluhu Hassan paid the fares for the 1 400 passengers on the first trip. The journey time is less than 2 ...