Wabtec Corporation has announced a USD 248 million order for Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives and services from Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), a Baowu & Winning joint venture. The locomotives will support WCS’s rail operations at the high-grade Simandou iron ore project in eastern Guinea.
This agreement follows a recent Wabtec locomotive order from SimFer, a Rio Tinto joint venture, for operations at Simandou. That order is valued at USD 277 million. Together, the contracts exceed half a billion dollars, marking one of Wabtec’s largest international locomotive deals in the past five years.
“As the world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit, Simandou represents a transformational economic opportunity for Guinea,” said Mpilo Dlamini, Wabtec’s Regional Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa. “Beyond delivering advanced locomotive solutions, we are committed to fostering local employment, developing talent, and empowering local businesses to support the rail network’s operation and maintenance.”
The Wabtec ES43ACmi is a dual-cab locomotive powered by a 4,500HP Evolution Series engine, designed for fuel efficiency and high performance in extreme temperatures. It complies with UIC 3a and U.S. EPA Tier 3 emission standards. Wabtec is set to begin deliveries for the Simandou project in 2025.
“This locomotive order with Wabtec is another important milestone for the Simandou project,” said Zhang Cheng, CEO of WCS. “As we advance construction on the TransGuinéen Railway, securing world-class equipment ensures we meet the high international standards we have committed to.”
The 600-km TransGuinéen Railway, currently under development, will connect the Simandou mine to the Port of Morebaya. The Simandou mountain range, located in the southeast of the Republic of Guinea, contains the world’s largest untapped reserve of high-grade iron ore, estimated at over 2 billion tonnes.
Winning Consortium Simandou is going to develop blocks #1 and #2 of the deposit, with estimated reserves exceeding 1.8 billion tonnes.
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