THE Angolan president, Mr João Lourenço, has approved the start of negotiations with Siemens Mobility for a €1.3bn contract for the construction of the Luanda light rail Yellow Line.
The project involves building a 39km double-track line with 24 stops linking the Port of Luanda with Kilamba city, with a rolling stock maintenance depot at each end. The contract also includes the supply of 68 four-car LRVs. A simplified contracting procedure has been used for the project, with the Ministry of Finance tasked with securing the necessary resources.
Siemens and Angola signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2020 for the construction of the line under a public-private partnership (PPP).
Siemens Mobility would be responsible for the supply and implementation of signalling, telecommunications and traction power systems, as well as the traffic control system.
The project, currently in the development stage, aims to respond to the increasing transport challenges caused by the growing population in Luanda, which is expected to reach 12 million by 2030.
Separately, Lourenço also authorised the signing of a design and build contract for the 260km Luena - Saurimo section of the Benguela line.
A consortium of Odebrecht International Engineering and Construction (OECI) and Bento Pedroso Construction (BPC) have been selected for the $US 1.17bn contract. The project is included in the National Master Plan for the Transport and Road Infrastructure Sector (PDNSTIR) and is in line with the National Rail Network Expansion Plan.
In November, the Angolan government signed a 30-year concession with a consortium of Trafigura, Mota-Engil Engineering and Construction Africa, and Vecturis, Belgium, to operate rail services and offer logistical support for the Lobito corridor, which runs for approximately 1290km from Luau on the eastern border with Democratic Republic of Congo to Lobito Port on the Atlantic Coast.
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