The first shipment of copper destined for the United States left the Port of Lobito, Angola, this week loaded onto the MSC Samu container ship. This follows a number of shipments of copper to ports in Europe and the Far East since the Lobito Atlantic Railway took over the concession in January of this year.
The cargo of copper cathodes bound for Baltimore arrived in Lobito on August 19 on a Lobito Atlantic Railway operated train from Kolwezi six days after it was dispatched. The Railway states that this demonstrates the time efficient western route to market that is now available for minerals and metals produced in the Congolese Copperbelt.
Francisco Franca, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lobito Atlantic Railway, said: “This shipment highlights the growing supply of services by international shipping companies to the Port of Lobito, which will support the growing development of our operations and regular shipments of raw materials to Europe and America.”