TransNamib has revised its planned mix of new and refurbished locomotives on economic grounds and to shorten delivery times. The Ministry of Works and Transport says new locomotives have an estimated lead time of about 24 months and remanufactured locomotives about nine months, and that the final ratio was approved by the Lenders' Technical Adviser to the Development Bank of Namibia and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
The ministry says procurement of the locomotives will be undertaken through the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act. Any remanufacturing is required to take place in Namibia, which the ministry says supports the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), skills transfer and job creation.
- TransNamib has revised its planned mix of new and remanufactured locomotives, according to Namibia’s Ministry of Works and Transport.
- The Lenders’ Technical Adviser, an independent adviser to the Development Bank of Namibia and the Development Bank of Southern Africa, approved the final ratio between new and remanufactured locomotives.
- The ministry puts the lead time at about 24 months for new locomotives and about nine months for remanufactured ones.
- The ministry says the locomotive procurement is to be conducted through the Central Procurement Board of Namibia to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
- Any remanufacturing of locomotives is required to take place in Namibia, in support of the country’s sixth National Development Plan.
- A ministerial statement of 8 May 2026 set out a shareholder directive that the procurement process should limit TransNamib’s exposure to risks arising from unfavourable global events.
Plans by Namibia to have an entirely General Electric locomotive fleet running on its railway system will not materialise.
The country’s state railway company, TransNamib, has revised its planned mix of new and refurbished locomotives, with the changes driven by economic considerations and the need to reduce delivery times, the Ministry of Works and Transport has said.
The ministry said TransNamib evaluated several ratios between new and remanufactured locomotives before settling on a final ratio approved by the Lenders’ Technical Adviser (LTA), an independent technical adviser to the Development Bank of Namibia and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
The ministry did not directly confirm the reported final numbers of 15 new and 17 refurbished locomotives, but said the ratio had been changed to provide TransNamib with reliable locomotives in the shortest possible time.
According to the ministry, the ratios were changed due to economic reasons and improved lead times to provide TransNamib with reliable locomotives in the shortest possible time. New locomotives have an estimated lead time of about 24 months, while remanufactured locomotives can be delivered in about nine months.
The ministry also rejected suggestions that the locomotive procurement would be conducted outside the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN). CPBN conducts the bidding process on behalf of public entities for the award of contracts for procurement.
The ministry said procurement of the locomotives would be undertaken through the CPBN to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
The ministry further clarified that no procurement process for TransNamib locomotives, whether new or remanufactured, has yet commenced through the CPBN.
Media reports suggested that the refurbishment contract had already been awarded to a joint venture between the Namibian military-owned company Windhoek Maschinenfabric and Malaysia-based SMH Rail. SMH Rail is a rolling stock manufacturing and maintenance company specialising in rail-related technologies and solutions. The company provides manufacturing, maintenance and related services to the rail industry.
However, the ministry said any remanufacturing of locomotives would be required to take place in Namibia. This localisation will support the country’s sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), ensure skills transfer and job creation.
Before the intervention by the ministry, TransNamib earlier said that it intended to acquire General Electric locomotives, which it had said were suited to Namibia.
However, a ministerial statement issued on 8 May 2026, outlining the shareholder directive on locomotive procurement, made it clear that the procurement process should limit TransNamib’s exposure to risks arising from unfavourable global events.
The ministry said the revised locomotive strategy was informed by economic considerations, delivery timelines and the need to reduce risk exposure.
TransNamib is undertaking the locomotive procurement as part of efforts to strengthen its fleet and improve the reliability of Namibia’s rail freight operations.
Written by Chamwe Kaira for Railways Africa
