CBG/Boké Railway Capacity Expansion

The core business of Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) is the mining and export of bauxite from mines in the vicinity of Sangarédi in the country’s Boké region (Guinea). In support of that operation, CBG have an operating concession for the 130-km-long Chemin de fer Boké (CFB railway) between the mine and the port of Kamsar.

Growth in world demand for bauxite, particularly from Guinea with the world’s largest reserves, led to the need to expand capacity on the CFB to transport additional traffic from CBG and two additional mining companies (Guinea Alumina Corp. and Rusal). Demand for bauxite transport on the railway was expected to grow from 18 MTPA in 2014 to 71 MTPA in 2028.

SYSTRA Canada undertook numerous mandates under contract to the three parties jointly or to CBG directly providing services and goods for this major capacity expansion.

Initial services to the three mining companies (since 2014) comprised assistance negotiating terms for a multi-user agreement and FEL2 and FEL3 studies defining the scope of the project. Upon completion of the planning phase, SYSTRA Canada undertook two major mandates as part of project implementation.

With respect to infrastructure, SYSTRA Canada provides EPCM services for expansion of main line railway capacity since 2017. This includes managing contracts for construction of 32 km of track doubling and a new loading terminal, installation of a new in-cab signalling system, assistance with procurement of new locomotives, and expansion of the loco shop to maintain the larger fleet.

In terms of rolling stock, SYSTRA Canada repaired CBG’s fleet of 632 wagons and fitted them with rotary couplers on an EPC basis to work with a new dumper installed by third parties as part of CBG’s expansion.