• Two ships arrived at Morebaya Port as Guinea readies its first Simandou iron ore shipments.

• The $20 billion project includes a 650 km railway and major port upgrades.

• The IMF projects Simandou will raise Guinea’s GDP by 26% by 2030.

Guinea is preparing to export its first shipments of iron ore from the Simandou mine, following the arrival on November 2 of two vessels—the Köma and Sanfina—at the port of Morebaya in the town of Forécariah. According to the presidency, a total of 23 ships are expected, each with a capacity of 12,000 tons of ore.

Currently being modernized, Morebaya Port is one of the key logistics facilities built to support ore transport. It is connected to a 650 km double-track railway that will also handle passenger and general freight transport. In October, the operators and the government unveiled the first locomotives, and a total of 7,000 wagons—each with an 81-ton capacity—are expected to arrive.

Considered the largest mining and infrastructure project in Africa, with about $20 billion in total investment, Simandou comprises four blocks. Two are operated by the China-led Winning Consortium Simandou, while the other two are managed by Australia’s Rio Tinto in partnership with additional Chinese companies.

The project is expected to significantly boost Guinea’s mining revenues, which currently come mainly from bauxite and gold. According to the International Monetary Fund, Simandou’s development could increase Guinea’s GDP by 26% by 2030.