The Lobito railway hits record cargo as it targets 400,000 tonnes

The railway at the heart of the Lobito Corridor is carrying more cargo than ever. Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), which runs the line from Angola's Atlantic coast to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, set all-time monthly records for international ore in June and July 2026.

The milestone

• Monthly record: about 27,000 to 29,000 tonnes of international cargo a month in June and July, the most since LAR took over the line. Most of it was ore from the DRC.
• 2026 target: about 400,000 tonnes, up from roughly 265,000 tonnes in 2025. About half is expected to be copper and cobalt from the DRC.
• Next year: the company plans to double volumes, helped by new financing, Bloomberg reported.

At the Hub Summit Angola, LAR executive Ottoniel Manuel said the company is "successfully meeting its targets set for 2026," according to a report carried by allAfrica.

People and money

LAR employs about 1,000 people directly and more than 2,000 indirectly. In July it reached financial close on $753 million to rebuild and upgrade 1,300km of track and buy rolling stock. Bloomberg reported that about $300 million of that has already been drawn. Read more about the $753 million deal.

Why it matters

The Lobito route gives copper and cobalt from the DRC and Zambia a shorter way to the Atlantic than trucking them to ports in the south or east. The United States and the European Union back the corridor as a way to secure critical minerals. The record months are the first sign that it is starting to carry serious volumes.