Lobito - The Angolan government launched Wednesday in Lobito, Benguela province, the international tender for management and maintenance of the Lobito Corridor railroad infrastructures.
At a ceremony presided over by the Minister for Transport, Ricardo D'Abeu, it was learnt that the Ministry plans to create a Specific Purpose Company (SPE), to be controlled by private operators.
To participate in the tender, bidders must have technical and financial capacity and extensive experience in operating this type of infrastructure, and submit their bids on the Ministry's website by 7 December.
The concession term will be for a period of 30 years, during which the winner will take on the transport of large cargo, with greater predominance for minerals and fuel, while the public passenger and small cargo transport service will remain under the management of Benguela Railway (CFB).
According to the minister, as well as responsibility for goods transport and logistics support services, the future company will have an additional obligation, which has to do with investment in a 259-kilometre-long branch line linking the railroad to Zambia, from Ruacano to Gingi.
"With the construction of this infrastructure, the bidders qualify for the guarantee of seeing the concession period extended from 30 to 50 years," he said.
