Lobito–Dar es Salaam Railway explained

Lobito–Dar es Salaam Railway
Type:Heavy rail
Status:Planned
Locale:Angola, Zambia and Tanzania
Start:Lobito, Angola
End:Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Open: (Expected)
Linelength Km:3960
Speed Km/H:90
Elevation Ft:6082

The Lobito–Dar es Salaam Railway is a planned narrow gauge railway line that connects the Angolan port city of Lobito to the Tanzanian port city of Dar es Salaam, through the Zambian city of Kapiri Mposhi.[1] It is an African transcontinental railroad connecting the Atlantic and Indian oceans and it is financed by China.[2]

Location

The railway line would start in Lobito, in Benguela Province, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 510km (320miles) south of Luanda, the capital city of Angola.

From Lobito, the line would travel eastwards, cross into Zambia, to the city of Kapiri Mposhi, an estimated 2100km (1,300miles) from Lobito. From there, the railway line would continue eastwards towards the Indian Ocean coast, as the existing Tazara Railway that measures, whose eastern terminus is the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.[1] [3]

Overview

The justification for this railway line is to promote exports of the three countries, through which the railway passes, to the continents of Europe, the Americas and Asia. The line would also increase tourism into those three countries, in addition to creating jobs and improving local economies.[1] [3]

The railway link would also allow the distribution of imported goods from overseas into the three African countries, as well as promote intra-African trade, among those countries.[4]

Way forward

The government of Angola is prepared to spearhead the efforts to build the Lobito-Kapiri Mposhi section of the railway line and is looking upon Zambia and Tanzania to harmonize the integration of the new construction with the existing Tazara Railway. No timelines have been made public, as of December 2020.[5]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Global Construction Review . Angola floats plan to build trans-Africa rail link to Tanzania . 2 December 2020 . Global Construction Review . 4 December 2020 . London, United Kingdom.
  2. KEN MORIYASU. China-aided trans-Africa railway line likely to transform regional trade. Nikkei Asia. August 25, 2014.
  3. Web site: 17 November 2020 . Angola-Tanzania railway line construction in the offing . Construction Review Online . Patrick Mulyungi . 4 December 2020 . Nairobi.
  4. Web site: . Tanzania pays attention to Angola's railway link . Rosemary Mirondo . 4 December 2020 . 4 December 2020 . Dar es Salaam.
  5. Web site: Angola plans to build Angola-Tanzania railway line . Seetao.com . 19 November 2020 . Seetao . 4 December 2020 . Beijing, China.