As of March 4, 2024, the state railway corporation Kenya Railways (KRC) has received a significant batch of freight wagons from China, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Kenya continues to develop its railway infrastructure

Of these, 230 units are destined for the modern Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway line, while 200 units are for the narrow gauge railway built in the early 1900s.

The new ES3000 battery-powered locomotive for maneuvering operations for Holcim Bulgaria

This delivery is part of a total order of 500 wagons, with 300 designated for standard gauge and 200 for narrow gauge.

The previous batch of 50 standard gauge wagons was received by KRC in February 2024, with the rest expected at the Port of Mombasa in May of the same year.

The new wagons have a payload capacity of 70 tons, which will expedite the movement of containerized cargo from the Port of Mombasa.

They will replace outdated rolling stock that has been in use for over 40 years on the narrow gauge network.

Additionally, the wagons will be used for transporting coil steel, tank containers, metal products, and other goods.

Data from Kenya’s Ministry of Roads and Transport indicate an increase in transport volumes on both the narrow gauge network and the modern Mombasa-Nairobi line.

Ready to change the strategy of rail freight transportation?

Transport volume on the narrow gauge increased by 21% in 2023, reaching over 1 million tons.

On the standard gauge line, 6.53 million tons of cargo were shipped in 2023, a 7% increase from 2022. There is also a noted increase in passenger transport volumes by 12%.

The 1435 mm gauge line connecting Nairobi and Mombasa commenced operations in May 2017 and was later extended to Naivasha in 2019.

This line spans approximately 592 kilometers and is used for mixed freight and passenger traffic.

The Chinese corporation China Road and Bridge (CRBC) was the main contractor for its construction.

Kenya’s collaboration with China in railway infrastructure continues to bear fruit, contributing to the country’s economic development and improving the lives of its citizens.

Photo: KRC

Rail business, industry, and railway technology news from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

The construction of a new depot for the high-speed HS2 line