Wabtec Corporation has announced a $248 million order for Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives and associated services from Winning Consortium Simandou —a joint venture between Baowu and Winning—to support rail operations at the Simandou high-grade iron ore project in eastern Guinea. This agreement follows a previous locomotive order from SimFer, a Rio Tinto joint venture, to serve its operations at Simandou. Together, the two orders exceed $500 million, making them one of Wabtec’s largest international locomotive agreements in the past five years.

Simandou is widely recognised as the world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit, offering a transformational economic opportunity for Guinea. Wabtec’s involvement extends beyond delivering locomotives, with a strong commitment to local employment, talent development, and business empowerment to support the operation and maintenance of the TransGuinéen Railway.

Mpilo Dlamini, Wabtec’s regional vice president of Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the significance of the project:

“As the world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit, Simandou represents a transformational economic opportunity for Guinea, and Wabtec’s commitment extends beyond delivering advanced locomotive solutions to ensure the success of this critical initiative in partnership with WCS and SimFer. We are also committed to the development of Guinea by fostering local employment, developing indigenous talent, and empowering local businesses to support the operation and maintenance of this vital rail network.”

Advanced Locomotive Technology for Challenging Conditions

The ES43ACmi is a dual-cab locomotive powered by a 4,500HP Evolution Series engine, designed for optimal fuel efficiency and performance in extreme environments, including the high temperatures of eastern Guinea. It meets UIC 3a and US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 emission standards, aligning with international environmental regulations. Wabtec is set to begin delivering these locomotives for the Simandou project in 2025.

WCS CEO Zhang Cheng acknowledged the importance of the locomotive order in advancing the Simandou project:

“This locomotive order with Wabtec is another important milestone for the Simandou project. As work continues to build the TransGuinéen railway, we will have the equipment resources in place that support the high international standards that we’ve committed to deliver.”

Simandou: A Game-Changer for Global Iron Ore Supply

The 600-kilometre TransGuinéen Railway is currently under construction to connect the Simandou mine to the Port of Morebaya, facilitating the transport of iron ore to global markets. The Simandou mountain range, located in southeastern Guinea, holds an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of high-grade iron ore across blocks #1 and #2, which are being developed by WCS.

The partnership between Wabtec, WCS, and SimFer marks a significant step forward in unlocking Guinea’s iron ore potential while strengthening the country’s infrastructure and economic prospects.

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