WITH the infrastructure of the new Trans-Guinean Railway nearing completion, Trans-Guinean Company (CTG) has revealed plans to introduce passenger services on the 650km line that will connect iron ore deposits at Simandou with a new port at Morebaya in Forécariah prefecture.
CTG chairman, Mamoudou Nagnalen Barry, says that 10 stations are planned along the new line which is due to open around the end of this year, with at least one in every prefecture served.
According to Barry, CTG has up to two years under its contractual obligations to make the stations operational for both passenger and freight services, but this timescale is likely to be shortened as locomotives and other rolling stock are already available. Public passenger services will only begin once station infrastructure is complete, however, and up to two trains a day in each direction are planned.
Although primarily designed to move up to 120 million tonnes of iron ore annually to a new mineral export terminal, CTG says that the Trans-Guinean Railway will be open to other operators. It is expected to stimulate the development of Guinea’s agricultural sector in particular.
The government of Guinea owns 15% of CTG, with this share intended to reach 100% in the long term. The other shareholders, both holding a 42.5% stake, are the Simfer Infraco Guinée joint venture of mining companies Rio Tinto and Chinalco, and WCS Infraco which comprises WCS Holding and Baowu of China.
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