Staff Writer
Namibia is preparing to test its first hydrogen-powered freight locomotive as part of efforts to modernise rail transport and introduce cleaner energy solutions in the logistics sector.
CMB.TECH Namibia is leading the engineering and development of the locomotive, which is being assembled at the facilities of South African rail engineering company Traxtion.
The project forms part of a partnership between TransNamib Holdings Limited, Africa Global Logistics and CMB.TECH Namibia. The partners aim to show how hydrogen can be integrated into Namibia’s freight rail system while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Namibia currently has a number of idle locomotives. The project will demonstrate that existing locomotives can be converted to hydrogen technology with limited infrastructure changes.
TransNamib, the country’s national rail operator, manages Namibia’s rail network and freight services. The company is exploring ways to modernise its operations, including the possible conversion of its locomotive fleet to dual-fuel hydrogen systems.
Africa Global Logistics is also involved in the project. The company operates in more than 50 countries and manages operations at the Walvis Bay Multipurpose Bulk Terminal. It also supports the development of regional freight corridors.
The hydrogen-powered freight service will first run trial operations between the Port of Walvis Bay and a container depot near Windhoek.
During the testing phase the locomotive is expected to complete 50 round trips along the route.
Green hydrogen used for the project will be produced off-grid at CMB.TECH Namibia’s hydrogen plant in Walvis Bay. The project aims to show how locally produced hydrogen can be used in existing logistics corridors.
The locomotive is equipped with a dual-fuel hydrogen combustion engine developed by BeHydro, a joint venture between CMB.TECH and Anglo Belgian Corporation.
The technology is designed for use in rail, marine and power generation applications.
The locomotive has a 2,250-horsepower engine that can operate on both diesel and green hydrogen.
Hydrogen will be stored in two 20-foot containers mounted on a fuel tender behind the locomotive. Each container can carry up to 360 kilograms of compressed hydrogen.
The hydrogen containers can be refuelled using a mobile refuelling system developed by CMB.TECH. They can also be replaced within minutes to reduce downtime.
If the hydrogen system becomes unavailable, the locomotive can continue operating on diesel.
The testing route between Walvis Bay and Windhoek covers about 414 kilometres. It climbs from about six metres above sea level at the coast to 1,601 metres in the central highlands.
The terrain will allow engineers to test the locomotive’s traction performance, fuel use and reliability under operating conditions.
The project aims to show that hydrogen-powered freight rail can support long-distance transport, particularly in regions with rail networks that are not electrified.
Caption
The hydrogen-powered freight service will run trial operations between the Port of Walvis Bay and a container depot near Windhoek.
- Photo: Contributed
