2024-03-14 21:26:12
Get real-time updates straight to your device, subscribe now.
Conakry, March 12, 2024 – Simandou today reached an important milestone with the installation of the inaugural girder of the CTG railway in Moussaya. This event constitutes significant progress for the realization of the project Simandou and the development of Guinean infrastructure.
In the presence of General Mamadi Doumbouya, President of the Republic of Guinea, General Amara Camara and Mr. Djiba Diakité, respectively Minister Secretary General and Minister Director of Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic of Guinea, Mr. Bouna Sylla, President of Board of Directors of CTG and Mr. Dominic Barton, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rio Tinto, as well as representatives of Compagnie du Trans-Guinéen (CTG), Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), Rio Tinto -Simfer, Baowu Resources and other key partners, the groundbreaking ceremony demonstrated the collective commitment to realizing the vision of the CTG railway.
Jointly created in 2023 by the Guinean Government, WCS and Rio Tinto-Simfer, CTG will manage the railway and port infrastructure built as part of the Simandou project, which currently constitutes the largest integrated mining project in the world under development, with the ambition to make it the keystone of a major new economic corridor for the country.
Using a state-of-the-art bridge erector, WinningConsortium Simandou Railway (WCSR) and China Railway First Group Co. installed a 32-meter, 134-ton T-girder on the river bridge Gbonda. With the development of standardized beam manufacturing facilities in Guinea and advanced equipment from China, this first beam installation is the result of innovation and collaboration.
Mr. Zhang Cheng, General Manager of WCSR, expressed his enthusiasm, noting that “today’s installation of the first girder for the CTG Guinea Railway marks an unprecedented achievement, underscoring our pursuit in excellence and our unwavering commitment to advancing Guinea’s infrastructure. This milestone is not only a symbol of progress, but it also embodies the spirit of innovation and collaboration that defines, at WCSR, our mission to serve and empower our local communities. We are proud to build this transformative project, which shapes the future of Guinea’s economic and social landscape for generations to come. »
Mr. Dominic Barton, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rio Tinto, highlighted that: “Today’s ceremony – and the installation of the first girders of the CTG – marks the entry of the rail project into a new phase of construction. The Trans-Guinean Railway has the potential to create a corridor of prosperity that brings local communities closer than ever, opening new horizons for Guinea. We are committed to working closely with all our partners to realize the extraordinary potential that Simandou offers to the people of Guinea, today and for future generations. »
Mr. Bouna Sylla, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CTG, declared: “We are privileged to witness today a crucial step which demonstrates that Simandou, the world’s largest project, has become a reality. I thank the industrial partners for achieving these major milestones and their commitments to taking into account the “win-win” vision of co-development of CTG infrastructures advocated by His Excellency the President of the Republic. »
For his part, Mr. Djiba Diakité, Minister Director of Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic, declared: “This is a remarkable event for Guinea. We see history being written before our eyes. Our fathers and grandfathers dreamed of the day when a train would connect our coast to the interior of the country, and under the leadership of the government and the successful collaboration we have developed with industrial partners, we are making of this dream a reality. »
Stretching more than 600 kilometers from the west to the east of Guinea and crossing 12 prefectures, the CTG railway appears to be an essential engine for the development of the Simandou iron mine. It will have a double track capable of supporting trains weighing 10,000 tonnes and will include 12 stations, 213 bridges, 4 tunnels and more than 1,256 culverts and canals. As Guinea’s longest railway, the CTG promises to establish a seamless national transportation system for people and goods, and to drive sustained and sustainable economic growth for Guinea and the wider region.
The Transguinean project embodies the partners’ vision of responsible and sustainable development, where infrastructure serves as a catalyst for technological innovation and societal progress. With a strong commitment to local empowerment and responsible environmental management, WCS, along with Rio Tinto-Simfer, BaowuResources, and other key partners, is setting a new benchmark for transformative development , in line with Guinea’s aspirations for progress and prosperity.