The transport sector plays a vital role in the Angolan economy, given the crucial function of linking the country’s interior to the rest of the world.
ROADS
Since the end of the colonial period, the national road network has deteriorated significantly due to the war and lack of maintenance and investment. During the rainy season, many major roads become impossible. The roads in the north of the country are there and there is an urgent need to rebuild the numerous bridges that were damaged and destroyed during the war. By 2009, 1,300 bridges out of the 6.000 existing bridges will be rebuilt.
In 1994 the road network comprised 75.000 Km, which included 8,000 Km of asphalted roads and 7,870 Km of gravel roads. Out of this total, 16,000 Km of roads are administered by the Angolan Institute of Highways (INEA – Instituto Nacional de Estrada de Angola).
The Government’s infrastructures rehabilitation programme is underway since the second half of 2005 of the construction and repair of bridges and roads showed that the plan in respect is boosting the country’s socio-economic development, and improving people’s living.
This programme include 12 bridges have been repaired or built on the Kifangondo/Caxito/Uíge/Negage road, two on Huambo/Caála road, two on Humpata/Bailundo, while the Matala/Matala stretch won three and Huambo/Kuito (five). The work includes the bridges over the rivers Calombotão, Dande, Lucala and Keve, being the three last ones of a huge size. Other bridges are being built over the rivers Cunene, Catumbela and Kwanza (Cabala).
Several roads are being constructed in Angola, such as the Luanda highway and the Bichequete to Massabi road (Cabinda province). The most important road being rebuilt in 2006 is the Luanda, Sumbe and highway, with an extension of 497,5 Km.
About 3,325 kilometres of roads were paved over the last six years of peace in Angola, by the Angolan Government.
Thus, 10,400 kilometres are under construction, adding that on the same period 34 definitive bridges were built, with 516 others being currently under construction as well.
RAIL
Due to the 27 years of war that devastated the country, the railway system that connected the coast to the interior of the country became of the destruction of the railways, planting of mines and the destruction of rail bridges.
The Angolan rail system is composed of three lines, namely Luanda, Benguela and Namibe railways, that cross the country west to east, with a total coverage of about 2.750 Km. The main network is the Benguela railway, CFB (Caminhos de Ferro de Benguela), with 1,305 Km. This was one of the most important railway lines in Southern Africa, liking the centre south of Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia and ending at the port of Lobito.
The second railway line is the Namibe railway of 907 Km that links the Port of Namibe to Menongue, in Kuando Kubango province. When it is totally rehabilitated, it will transport people and goods between the port city of Namibe to the south of Angola and to the north of Namibia. The rehabilitation of Namibe railway is in progress. The work is due to be completed in August 2007. Once completed the line will transport two million passengers and 15 million tonnes of merchandise a Year, with up to 30 trains a day.
The third railway line runs from Luanda to Malanje, known as the Luanda railway. It is 538 Km long and once rebuild will link Luanda with the agricultural areas of Cassanje and Kwanza and to the diamonds fields of Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul.
Aimed at increasing the capacity of the rail infrastructure, the Ango-Ferro 2000 project is divided into four phases. The project includes the rehabilitation of about 3.100 Km of railway, 8.000 Km of extensions, 36 bridges, and rehabilitation and building of 100 stations and 150 new substations.
The project is planned to extend to the construction of the Congo railway, a new line that will begin in Luanda going via Caxito, Uige, M'Banza Congo, Cabinda and the Republic of Congo. Mobilization of potential backers for the project is in progress.
This plan named "Ango-Ferro" is in progress, comprising the rehabilitation and modernisation of the existing lines, their inter-connection in a network system, building of new lines and connection with neighbouring countries in six points.
Thus, we will have the conclusion of the Luanda railways, in an extension of about 500 kilometres, adding that the Moçamedes Raiway, that comprises 900 kilometres, will be finished in 2010.
Other works are related to the elaboration of studies and projects for the construction of the line that will link the country's railway system to Namibia, as well as the 1,500 kilometres to the DRC and Zambia, through Benguela Railway company that is to end in 2011.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
- Rail rehabilitation (Luanda and Benguela railways)
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Construction of a new Luanda International Airport.
- Rehabilitation of the lighthouses and navigation aids.
AIR
Angola has one international airport and 17 provincial airports, and a state-owned national air company. Angola Airlines (TAAG - Linhas Aereas de Angola), which provides domestic and international flights.
Other airlines including TAP, Air France, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Gabon, British Airways, Air Namibia, Sabena, Luphtansa and Aeroflot operate international routes from Luanda Airport.
In 2005 TAAG acquired nine new Boeing aircraft (three are 777's for long haul and six 737's for domestic flights).
Luanda Airport is reputed to be among the 30 busiest airports in the world. In the north of the Angolan capital, Luanda, construction work for a new Angolan International Airport has commenced. Also in progress are studies for the reconstruction and modernization of the Huambo province airport to serve as an alternative to Luanda. Most of the provincial capitals have domestic airports, as well as some municipal districts.
PORTS AND RAILWAYS
Angola has three main ports connecting it to the world. The three existing railway lines connect to these three ports as follows: Luanda, Lobito and Namibe.
Other ports will be constructed in the northern Cabinda and Luanda provinces
PORT OF LUANDA
Located at 8o 47 'S and 13o 14 'E in Luanda Bay. Port access is easy as the entrance to the bay is about 1,5 miles wide. It is the main port in Angola, moving more than 80% of the country's imports and export, excluding petroleum.
The port has 2. 738 metres of wharf, divided into three terminals and a support platform for the oil industry. The port works 24 hours a day and it is managed by Luanda Port Company EP. It is has three tugs with a capacity of between 750 and 2.500 HP.
The port handles about 1.5 million tonnes a year, primarily import cargo (1.2 million tonnes), of which half is containerized. In 2004 the port handled 3,194.756 tonnes and was used by 2.645 ships. The goods handled are mainly: flour, rice, cereals, construction materials, manufactured products, vehicles and transport equipment.
The maximum depth of the ship channel is 9.5 metres. The depth along the wharf varies between 10.5 and 12.5 metres, except at the coastal traffic terminal, when the depth varies between 3.5 and 5.5 metres.
PORT OF LOBITO
Located at 12 o, 20' S and 13 o 'E in Lobito bay, with the natural protection of a sandbank. Lobito Port was the main port in Angola in the past, as a result of being the oceanic terminal of the Benguela Railway.
With peace in Angola and the ongoing reconstruction of the Benguela Railway line, this position will eventually be restored as this port handles mineral export traffic from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
For the support of the economy, the Government have also under repair the Port of Lobito, which highlight to the Lobito one, that is being modernised and extended with the creation of new terminals for containers, minerals and support for oil activity, in order to meet the demands from neighbouring countries that will use that corridor.
The port has 1, 222 metres of wharf, divided into two areas and works from 0700 to 2400. It has two tugs, 15 cranes with capacities between 5 and 22 tonnes and a floating crane with a capacity of 120 tonnes. Besides naval shipyards and fuel banks for ships, the port has the potential capacity to handle 500 tonnes per day of railway traffic.
The port handles about 600.000 tonnes per year, including the tonnages related to about 15.000 TUs that are moved annually. Commodities handled mainly include cereals for grinding, as well as flour, sugar, rice and construction materials and equipment for the cities of Lobito and Benguela.
In 2005 Lobito's port was used by 706 ships and handled 1,015,264 tonnes of diverse merchandise, 40.700 containers, 700 light vehicles and 400 heavy vehicles. In 2004 the port was used by 500 ships. The maximum depth is 10 metres.
PORT OF NAMIBE
Located at 15o, 12o ‘S and 12o 08' E, Namibe Port is the third-largest port in Angola.
The port has 870 metres of wharf, divided into three areas. Zone 3 is the largest area at 480 metres. The port is managed by the Namibe Port Company and has a tug, three cranes from 5 to 15 tonnes and a container lifter with a capacity of 40 tonnes.
The port handles about 200.000 tonnes per year, including 2.500 TUs that are moved annually. The goods handled are primarily manufactured products, food, materials and equipment for the marble and granite. This port will assume greater importance when the mining exploration of Kassinga (in Huila province) becomes operational again. The maximum depth is 10 metres.
