Wabtec Delivers First Locomotives For Simandou Project In Guinea, Marking A New Milestone For Railway Expansion

Published on October 21, 2025

The Simandou project successful Guinea has reached a important milestone pinch nan presence of nan first 4 Wabtec locomotives astatine nan Port of Morébaya. These locomotives are portion of a larger bid of 78 ES43Aci locomotives placed by Rio Tinto SimFer nether a $277 million contract. This bid marks a important shape successful nan improvement of nan Trans-Guinean Railway, a cardinal infrastructure task that will support nan proscription of robust ore from nan Simandou deposits to nan coast, importantly enhancing Guinea’s mining capacity and economical prospects.

Simandou Project Overview

The Simandou project is simply a monolithic undertaking aimed astatine processing 1 of nan world’s largest untapped robust ore deposits. The task is simply a associated task betwixt nan Guinea government, Rio Tinto, and nan Chinalco-led CIOH consortium. It involves constructing nan 670km Trans-Guinean Railway, which will tally from Beyla to Forécariah, arsenic good arsenic nan building of a deep-water larboard astatine Moribayah. Work connected nan railway began successful 2023, and nan presence of nan first locomotives is simply a motion that nan task is moving guardant arsenic planned.

The Trans-Guinean Railway will beryllium basal for transporting iron ore extracted from nan Simandou deposits to nan larboard for export. The presence of these locomotives is simply a captious portion of nan infrastructure needed to facilitate nan businesslike activity of ore and to support Guinea’s burgeoning mining sector. This railway strategy is expected to revolutionize nan country’s carrier infrastructure, reducing reliance connected roadworthy carrier and improving wide logistics for nan mining industry.

Key Features of nan Wabtec Locomotives

The Wabtec ES43Aci locomotives, which are being assembled astatine Wabtec’s works successful Marhowra, India, are equipped pinch a 3.36MW Evolution Series diesel engine, which is designed for heavy-haul operations. These locomotives are specifically built to withstand nan challenging conditions of nan Guinea landscape, providing reliable and businesslike proscription for dense cargo complete agelong distances. The caller locomotives are portion of Wabtec’s largest export bid of heavy-haul locomotives, reinforcing nan company’s increasing domiciled successful providing proscription solutions for large-scale infrastructure projects worldwide.

These locomotives are besides portion of an effort to modernize nan railway systems successful Guinea, ensuring that nan infrastructure meets world standards for safety, efficiency, and biology sustainability. The caller locomotives will run connected nan Trans-Guinean Railway, improving nan ratio of robust ore carrier and facilitating nan improvement of Guinea’s mining sector.

Statement from Rio Tinto SimFer

Chris Aitchison, managing head of Rio Tinto SimFer, celebrated nan presence of nan locomotives arsenic a “landmark moment” for some nan Simandou project and Guinea. He noted that these locomotives symbolize nan important advancement being made successful nan improvement of nan Trans-Guinean Railway. According to Aitchison, nan railway will play a important domiciled successful connecting communities, facilitating trade, and promoting sustainable improvement crossed nan country.

Future Deliveries and Expansion

The presence of these first 4 locomotives is conscionable nan beginning. Further deliveries of ES43Aci locomotives are scheduled for nan coming months, pinch 65 further locomotives already ordered nether a abstracted $248 million statement pinch nan Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS). These locomotives will besides beryllium utilized connected nan Trans-Guinean Railway, ensuring nan continued maturation and ratio of nan project.

The Winning Consortium Simandou, a associated task of Winning International and China Hongqiao Group, is besides moving to create nan Simandou robust ore deposits, further cementing nan value of nan railway successful Guinea’s economical future.

Long-Term Impact and Ownership Transfer

The railway and larboard infrastructure will beryllium operated by CTG (La Compagnie du TransGuinéen), a associated task betwixt Rio Tinto SimFer, WCS, and nan Guinea government. After an operating play of 35 years, ownership of nan full infrastructure will beryllium transferred to nan Guinean state, providing semipermanent benefits for nan country’s economical development.