Four newly acquired GL30 locomotives have arrived at the Port of Douala, marking further investment in rail capacity to strengthen Cameroon’s freight logistics chain. The engines, shipped from Richards Bay in South Africa, docked on 6 February and were received on the quay by CAMRAIL’s Managing Director, Pierre Ngon and operational teams. The delivery forms part of the company’s fleet modernisation drive, designed to enhance traction capacity and improve service reliability for strategic freight customers.
The locomotives will undergo customs clearance before being transferred to the Bassa Central Workshops for final adjustments and static and dynamic testing ahead of commercial commissioning. The four units belong to a broader order of eight locomotives placed by Africa Global Logistics (AGL) for its West and Central African rail subsidiaries, including Sitarail in Côte d’Ivoire and CAMRAIL in Cameroon. The cost of the order has not been disclosed. The engines were built by Grindrod and delivered by Railco Africa, a South African rail equipment supplier.
Boosting traction capacity and service quality
CAMRAIL’s Deputy Managing Director, Gilbert Kana Pondy, had previously announced that measures were being taken to acquire new locomotives by the end of the first quarter of 2026. “With this new acquisition, the expected impact is an improvement in traction capacity and service quality,” he stated during a rail safety awareness tour conducted between 19 and 22 January 2026.
Company officials indicate that the GL30 units are equipped with computerised control systems, onboard diagnostic devices and reinforced safety mechanisms intended to optimise train operations and reduce technical incidents. The locomotives also feature ergonomic, air-conditioned driver cabins. The investment fits into a wider strategy to modernise the traction fleet, support freight growth and enhance overall rail service performance across Cameroon’s logistics and industrial sectors.
Mercy Fosoh
