Modernization and development
Modernization and development
The construction of the new track between Edéa / Lolabé and Kribi and the extension of the network to Chad are not CAMRAIL's responsibility.
A rail-road service to Kribi
With Kribi, Cameroon and the countries of the sub-region now have a deepwater port capable of accommodating the new-generation deep-draught container ships that serve the coasts of Central and West Africa.
The development of the Edéa - Kribi line has been the subject of a number of studies, notably by CAMRAIL, which commissioned the railway engineering firm SYSTRA to carry out a summary pre-feasibility study aimed at proposing a route and assessing the construction costs of the line; and by the Ministry of Public Works (MINTP), which commissioned a consortium of technical consulting firms (Consortium Team Engineering, CPCS, SPT) to carry out preliminary design studies, a provisional report of which was published in September 2018.
Thanks to its shorter transit times and lower freight volumes, the port of Kribi is in a position to offer a growing share of maritime import and export traffic to Central and Northern Cameroon, which until now has been handled via the port of Douala. It is likely that a significant proportion of import traffic destined for Chad and the far north of Cameroon, as well as export traffic, notably containerized timber traffic, will gradually be diverted from Douala to Kribi.
The construction of a rail link between Edéa and Kribi is essential for the continuation of CAMRAIL's freight transport activities. CAMRAIL is initially implementing a road-rail solution to meet the needs of the new port infrastructure.
Renewal of the Belabo - Ngaoundéré railroad line
The renewal of this 330 km line is being financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to the tune of 80.7 billion F. The financing agreement between Cameroon and the EIB was signed on May 5, 2022 in Yaoundé.
This work will improve freight and passenger links to northern Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic, by reducing journey times and increasing rail traffic capacity.
A connection project in Chad
The railroad line linking Ngaoundéré to N'Djamena via Kousseri is expected to cover 700 to 800 km. Financing has been obtained from the ADB for the preliminary design studies. A call for tenders has been launched to select the engineering firm to carry out the study. The project is managed by a technical steering and monitoring committee made up of experts from the 2 countries (5 members for Chad and 5 members for Cameroon). This committee is supported by a technical management unit made up of engineers from both countries.
Africa Global Logistics has been designated as the project's technical partner through its subsidiary CAMRAIL. The studies are scheduled to take 22 months from the start of 2019.
Following receipt of the preliminary design, the Cameroon-Chad Railway Commission plans to convene a donor conference with a view to a public-private partnership.
