The locomotives were unloaded from the ship that had brought them from Shanghai in the presence of the Argentine transport minister, Mr Guillermo Dietrich, and the president of Argentina Trains Cargo and Logistics, Mr Ezequiel Lemos.

Initially two locomotives have been delivered for commissioning tests on the metre-gauge Belgrano network which connects Buenos Aires with the west and north-west of the country and which is undergoing large-scale rehabilitation work. The locomotives are fitted with 2.2MW MTU 16V 4000 R43 engines made in Germany.

CRRC is supplying 107 new diesel-electric locomotives and 1300 new freight wagons to the Argentine government to assist with the modernisation of the country’s extensive but ageing rail freight network, which is now largely operated by state owned company Argentina Trains Cargo and Logistics.

In addition to the metre-gauge locomotives, 67 broad-gauge and 10 standard-gauge locomotives are being built by CRRC at Qishuyan. The first two broad-gauge locomotives were delivered in mid-December and will be used on the San Martin route from Buenos Aires via Rosario to Cordoba and Mendoza.

The standard-gauge locomotives are for the only standard-gauge line in the country, the Urquiza route which connects Buenos Aires with neighbouring Paraguay.

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