Landlocked Ethiopia connected to seaport through new railway - FreshFruitPortal.com

Landlocked Ethiopia connected to seaport through new railway

More News Top Stories
Landlocked Ethiopia connected to seaport through new railway

A major railway project running from Ethiopia to a Red Sea port in neighboring Djibouti has opened for business, with expectations it will provide a major boost to the landlocked country's export sector. green-beans_82001719

The new 750km line will link Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa to the sea in 10 hours, bypassing a potholed road that can take trucks days to negotiate, according to website Theguardian.com.

Some 1,500 trucks a day currently lumber along the road which carries 90% of imports and exports from the east African country to the port – a key trade hub to Asia, Europe and the rest of the continent.

In February, a representative from the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) told www.freshfruitportal.com the were plans to have cold stores in every station along the line to protect the quality of produce.

The country's fruit and vegetable exports include strawberries, beans, chillies, watermelons and tomatoes. Much of the produce is currently shipped via airfreight.

The US$3.4 billion railway was 70% financed  by China’s Exim Bank and built by China Railway Group and China Civil Engineering Construction, Theguardian.com reported.

"This train is a game-changer. Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. The connection to the ports of Djibouti will give a bounce and our economy will grow faster," Ethiopian Railways Corporation (ERC) project manager Mekonnen Getachew was quoted as saying.

The ERC's communications manager Dereje Tefera also said the railway uses renewable energy and would minimize the cost of transport.

Ethiopia's horticultural exports reportedly grew 10% to US$275 million in the previous financial year, according to the Ethiopian Horticulture Development Agency (EHDA).

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com

Subscribe to our newsletter