The Ministry of Transport, in a statement made available to VerAngola, said that "the first batch of pig iron production by CSC - Companhia Siderúrgica do Cuchi scheduled for this year was transported from the municipality of Cuchi, in the province of Cuando Cubango, to the Port of Namibe".
The train, with "862 tonnes of pig iron, in 19 specialized wagons for the purpose", arrived in Moçâmedes on Saturday. Traveled approximately 665 kilometers "from the loading point, the train whistled its departure at the Viungue station around 01:00 am on Saturday and arrived at the Sacomar station, in the province of Namibe, at 9:45 pm of the same day, loaded with 862 tonnes in double traction", reads the note.
According to the guardianship note, it was the "circulation of the first train" to transport pig iron, manufactured at CSC.
On the occasion, Wilton dos Reis Oliveira, general director of production at CSC, said that the export of this ore "represents progress for the country", and today they are "pleased to place Angola as the second largest producer of pig iron in the world from a renewable source of energy that is wood".
Cited in the guardianship note, the head of the CSC also said that pig iron "does not face difficulties in its international trade, suffering only price fluctuations depending on the dynamics of the market".
He also referred that among the main consumers of this ore are the United States of America and China.
António da Cruz, chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of CFM, considered that this transport operation symbolizes the "effective beginning of many" that from now on "will follow and marks a historic moment for CFM in particular and for the country as a whole, as it is the first of its kind", and it is expected that "the process will proceed smoothly".
He also mentioned issues related to safety in circulation, noting that "precautions were duly taken" in order to ensure "that the cargo reached its destination without any impediment". Therefore, adds the note, "the technical state of the track will require periodic maintenance, especially in the Bibala area, as a matter of urgency to avoid accelerated wear and tear on the equipment, which will make it possible to collect around four million kwanzas for each convoy carried out".
In turn, Manuel Nazaré de Neto, PCA of the Port of Namibe, informed that "rehabilitation works are currently underway in the mineral port of Sacomar", leaving the guarantee that in the space of two months "the works will be concluded and the material will be packaged as required".
"With a forecast to produce 250 tons/day, at the moment, the CSC is only operating at around 72 percent of its total capacity", reads the statement, which adds that when the second phase of the project is carried out, 1400 tons of pig iron will be produced per day.
It should be noted that the Cutato iron mine, which is located 70 kilometers from the factory, has a working life of 50 years.
