The Congo-Ocean Railways (CFCO) has bought three locomotives from the South African company RRL Grindod, for an overall cost of 1.6 billion CFA francs. The fleet of traction equipment in service at CFCO has increased from a dozen locomotives in 2008 to almost 20 today, allowing CFCO to respond to the high demand for transport services, particularly with regard to food, hydrocarbons, and material and equipment destined for the large-scale constructions sites opening up as part of the implementation of land development projects.

The Managing Director of CFCO, Joseph Sauveur Elbez, welcomed the enhanced performance of CFCO, stressing the fact that since the beginning of July 2010, CFCO had transported more than 70,000 tonnes of goods per month. However the target set remained at around 100,000 tonnes per month by late 2010 or early 2011.

CFCO, which began operation in July 1934, employs over 2,000 workers. It consists of a 510 km rail link between the Pointe-Noire seaport and the capital, Brazzaville, and is considered the “backbone of the Congolese economy”.

(Source: Congolese Information Agency – ACI)