Trains will link Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia
A train with 20 platforms of two containers each in the next few days s due to start the first 1,000-kilometre trip between the city of Beira, in Mozambique, to Zimbabwe and Zambia.
According to the Mozambican newspaper Notícias in future, the idea is to transport about 10,000 tons per month, with trains travelling in both directions.
The three railways that make up the regional association known as the “Southern Africa Railway Association” (SARA) are Mozambique Ports and Railways (CFM), National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), which recently gathered in the city of Beira where they identified 11 corridors.
The first to start operating is the Beira corridor whose outbound trains will carry fertilisers, while inbound trains will transport Zambian copper.
The measure, which aims to bring the cargo which is currently transported by road back to the railway system, was welcomed by the management of Cornelder of Mozambique, the managing body of the port of Beira, during a working visit of the three railway companies to the facility.
At the SARA meeting the railway companies agreed that the board of directors of each railway should provide rolling stock such as cars and locomotives.
Mozambican state company CFM since 2014 has been working on repairing 300 wagons in Beira and there are plans in the pipeline for another 100 in 2016, as well as the acquisition of locomotives.
The chief executive of Cornelder of Mozambique, Adelino Mesquita said the port of Beira was this year expected to process 220,000 containers, more than 2.5 million tons of general cargo and 5 million tons of coal, compared to 207,000 containers, 2.4 million tons of general cargo and 4.6 million tons of coal in 2014.
According to the Mozambican newspaper Notícias in future, the idea is to transport about 10,000 tons per month, with trains travelling in both directions.
The three railways that make up the regional association known as the “Southern Africa Railway Association” (SARA) are Mozambique Ports and Railways (CFM), National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), which recently gathered in the city of Beira where they identified 11 corridors.
The first to start operating is the Beira corridor whose outbound trains will carry fertilisers, while inbound trains will transport Zambian copper.
The measure, which aims to bring the cargo which is currently transported by road back to the railway system, was welcomed by the management of Cornelder of Mozambique, the managing body of the port of Beira, during a working visit of the three railway companies to the facility.
At the SARA meeting the railway companies agreed that the board of directors of each railway should provide rolling stock such as cars and locomotives.
Mozambican state company CFM since 2014 has been working on repairing 300 wagons in Beira and there are plans in the pipeline for another 100 in 2016, as well as the acquisition of locomotives.
The chief executive of Cornelder of Mozambique, Adelino Mesquita said the port of Beira was this year expected to process 220,000 containers, more than 2.5 million tons of general cargo and 5 million tons of coal, compared to 207,000 containers, 2.4 million tons of general cargo and 4.6 million tons of coal in 2014.