COMMISSIONING is underway of a fleet of seven diesel-electric locomotives delivered to Calmaco Cameroon, a subsidiary of Canyon Resources, Australia. The group is developing the Minim Martap Bauxite Project in the Adamawa region of Cameroon to move ore from the network Inland Rail Facility (IRF) at Makor to the Atlantic port of Douala on the 1000mm-gauge Camrail network and is on course to commence initial ore transport in the third quarter of 2026.
In addition to the locomotives built by CRRC Ziyang, the first batch of 60 wagons manufactured by Texmaco Rail & Engineering of India is scheduled for delivery next month with the remaining 100 due to arrive in the third quarter. Calmaco has placed an order for the supply of 560 open wagons with an option for up to another 1040. In addition to the $US 29.2m supply contract, the deal includes a 20-year maintenance agreement worth $US 26.2m.
The fleet is expected to provide transport capacity of approximately 35,000 wet metric tonnes (wMt) of bauxite ore per month, which Canyon says will provide the foundation for the project’s planned production ramp up and the start of export activities.
Ore will be transported by lorry to the IRF from where trains will operate on an 800km section of the Camrail network from Ngaoundere to Douala. Canyon says infrastructure and operational readiness work is progressing as planned and that it is working closely with logistics partners to ensure smooth mobilisation ahead of the start of the full service in the fourth quarter. Construction of the ore haulage road and dredging of the Port of Douala is also scheduled for completion in the late third quarter, Canyon confirmed.
The service will utilise the 330km Belabo - Ngaoundéré section, which is undergoing €243m modernisation, including track upgrades that will support speeds of 70km/h for freight services and 90km/h for passenger trains. The project is due for completion in 2028 and is partly funded by a €107m European Investment Bank (EIB) loan and a €17m European Union (EU) grant agreed in 2022.
Phase 2
Further upgrades are also envisaged under phase 2 of the programme, which will include the delivery of an additional 15 locomotives and 400 wagons, increasing capacity to approximately 105,000wMt per month by the third quarter of 2027.
Minim Martap is one of the world’s richest bauxite deposits. Canyon secured a mining licence in September 2024 and Camalco subsequently purchased a 9.1% stake in Camrail in March 2025 to secure rail access. It increased this to 26.9% in May, stating that it would provide it with greater influence across the planned upgrade and transport of bauxite on the network.
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