The project electrifies the Ressano Garcia rail line, the 88 km link in the Maputo corridor between the Port of Maputo and the South African border, with a capacity of 15 million tonnes a year. The electrified line will connect to Transnet’s 3 kVdc/25 kVac network in South Africa. The Maputo corridor serves Gauteng and Mpumalanga in South Africa, as well as eSwatini and Zimbabwe. The project is needed to cut the corridor’s dependence on diesel, improve locomotive reliability and lifecycle costs, and increase rail capacity as freight moves from road to rail on one of the region’s busiest trade routes.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
The project requires USD 140 million and is seeking development finance institution (DFI) or PPP financing, with a financing timeline of 12–18 months. It sits on a high-volume, revenue-generating corridor. Planned upgrades on the Ressano Garcia line include doubling and new signalling, which raise daily train slots from 23 to 39 per direction, and rail’s share of Maputo traffic is expected to rise from 25% in 2025 towards 45% by 2045. Electrification lowers operating costs and links the line to Mozambique’s renewable power potential. Investors can provide DFI loans or join a PPP for the electrification works.
Investment types sought
Project status
Development stage
Pre-feasibility
Current status / progress to date
Pre-feasibility completed. Financing is being sought from DFIs or through a PPP, with a financing timeline of 12–18 months.
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- CFM – Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique
Expected impact
Jobs created / supported
Not quantified in the pipeline. Jobs would come from electrification works (catenary, substations) and from operation and maintenance of the electrified line.
Economic & development benefits
- Lower operating and lifecycle costs for locomotives
- Higher reliability and capacity on the Maputo corridor
- Supports CFM revenue growth (target > USD 450m by 2027)
- Strengthens Mozambique’s position as a regional logistics hub
Climate & resilience benefits
- Cuts diesel fuel use on the corridor
- Links rail traction to Mozambique’s renewable power potential
- Supports freight shift from road to rail
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.