Mixed fleet: 4× new Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) diesel-electric passenger locomotives (CDN-2024 class, India, delivered Q1 2026); heritage CFM diesel-electric units (still in service for backup and freight pilots); 10 BLW freight locomotives (September 2025–early 2026 deliveries) operating the heavy coal-train services on the shared corridor
Locomotive Weight
BLW CDN-2024 class approximately 90 t (Co-Co wheel arrangement); heritage CFM units 72–84 t
Track Gauge
1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in — Cape gauge, the southern-African standard)
Braking Technology
Air brake system (standard for Cape gauge operations); heritage stock retains supplementary vacuum-brake compatibility on certain segments
Route Engineering Challenges
Single-track operation with passing loops — only 4–6 passing loops along the 533 km Nampula–Cuamba section, requiring precise timetable coordination with the heavy coal freight traffic
Remote rural maintenance across 533 km of corridor — track patrols, ballast cleaning, and rolling-stock servicing all dispatched from the Nampula depot
Seasonal flooding risk on low-lying sections between Malema and Iapala during the November–March wet season; occasional washouts historically caused 24–48 hour delays
Co-existence with heavy coal freight operations on the shared 912 km Nacala corridor (Nacala Port ↔ Moatize), which generates ~18 Mt of coal exports annually
Branch-line extension to Lichinga (262 km north of Cuamba) adds operational complexity — currently limited to freight with occasional passenger charters
Private-operator liberalisation of Mozambique's railway network (2026 onward) introduces uncertainty over CDN's long-term concession terms and rolling-stock procurement plans
Insect and vegetation encroachment on the right-of-way during the wet season requires year-round mechanical brush-cutting and termite-control
~1.246 million system-wide (34 carriages, ~20 trips/week on this segment)
Q1 2026 passengers (Nampula–Cuamba segment)
151,400 (+95% year-on-year)
2026 projected annual system ridership
~631,000+ (forecast, Nacala corridor)
Status
Operational — fleet modernisation in active rollout
Service resumed
October 2023 (after 30+ year suspension)
Ticketing
Electronic ticketing introduced 2021; tickets purchased day-before at station 16:00–17:00
Co-existence
Shares corridor with coal freight operations (Vale/Mitsui-owned Nacala Logistics)
Fleet investment programme
€190M through 2030: 30+ passenger coaches, 250 freight wagons, 10 Indian BLW locomotives (freight Sep 2025–early 2026)
New passenger locomotives (2026)
4× Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) CDN-2024 class diesel-electric
Operator concession
Nacala Logistics (CDN) — Vale/Mitsui concession of the 912 km Nacala corridor, with mandatory passenger-service obligations on the Nampula–Cuamba branch
Regulatory framework (2026)
Mozambique's railway-liberalisation law opens the network to private operators — competitive bidding on passenger segments expected 2026–2028
Currency
MZN (Mozambican metical); ~65 MZN per USD (mid-2026)