LUANDA – Flooding caused by rivers bursting their banks forced the suspension of railway operations on Angola’s Lobito corridor on Sunday. This railway is a crucial artery for critical minerals such as copper and cobalt, making the disruption particularly significant for both local economies and international supply chains. The suspension is expected to delay copper and cobalt shipments, potentially affecting global supply chains and local economies reliant on mining exports.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway reported that heavy rains flooded bridges over the Halo River, between Cubal and Caimbambo stations, as well as a bridge over the Cavaco River near Benguela. “As a result, rail traffic on the affected sections is suspended indefinitely,” the company stated. Officials have not provided an estimate for when service might resume, but repair crews are currently assessing the damage and planning restoration work as soon as floodwaters recede.
Angola granted the Lobito Atlantic Railway—a consortium including Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis SA—a thirty-year concession in 2022 to operate the rail link. This provides a swift route for copper and cobalt exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Lobito port on the Atlantic coast.
The trains also transport sulphur in the opposite direction to DRC mines, as well as agricultural commodities and industrial products from the port.
Climate change is worsening floods across the southern Africa region, frequently disrupting transport infrastructure. According to Dr. Paulo Silva, a climate specialist at the University of Angola, “Extreme weather events like these are becoming more frequent due to shifting climate patterns, posing ongoing challenges for regional development and logistics.”