 INTRODUCTION |
It is expected that international transport market
during the next decade will witness huge developments,
compelling many countries to reconsider their policies
for transportation. Taking into consideration the
central geographic location of the Great Jamahiriya
in the African continent, its long coast overlooking
the Mediterranean basin, its proximity to the shores
of the south European countries, its near location
to many land-locked countries, this would make it
a main outlet and a link between the Eastern and
Western Arab countries in one hand and West African
countries and the Middle East region in general.
As a result, during the past quarter of a century,
the Great Jamahiriya has always given attention
to the development of transport infrastructure.
In the field of maritime transport, commercial
ports were constructed and developed reaching
a capacity of more than 13 MM tons annually. In
addition, many specialized quays, covered, open
and cold storage areas, oil terminals and ports
were built along the Libyan cost. For the terrestrial
transport, given the vast geographic area of the
Great Jamahiriya, an integrated national road
network was built connecting the different regions
and major cities among each other. In the air
transport, the Great Jamahiriya gave special attention
to it, providing the necessary infrastructure
for successful aviation and extending the relevant
services beyond the Libyan borders.
Railway is considered one of the most important
ways of transportation. It is an important factor
for progress and developing. Also, it completes
all other productive and service activities offered
by the other economical sectors like agriculture,
industry, trade, tourism ..etc. Comparing with
other ways of transportation, railway has the
lowest ratio of pollution. In addition, it has
a great role in exports and imports for goods,
raw materials, equipments and so on, and it also
connects different parts of the country and the
country with the neighbouring countries.
The idea of the project came directly from the Leader
of the Revolution, he is the one who has always
been offering all things for the Arab union and
for Africa to be connected to each other. He mentioned
during a meeting with Universities professors and
students in October 1993 that "The railway
is very important. It is more important than a pipe
water line in a region because it makes us enable
to move within the Arabic countries and Africa".
| EXECUTIVE
BOARD |
The project was called "General Authority
for administration and carrying out Railway"
according to the decision Number 103 of General
Peoples committee in Al Khoms in 1992. In the
beginning of 2000, the name was changed into "Railway
Executive Board" according to the decision
Number 221 of General Peoples committee. The Board
prepares the programs, studies, economical research,
designs, technical specifications and plane required
for the project and prepares the documents and
specifications for the contracts. The Board offered
a five years plane needing 3, 866 M LD (10 Billion$).
After the agreement of the General Peoples committee,
the Board started carrying out the financial and
time schedule which including civil works and
constructions, produce the required materials
and imports of signaling and telecommunication
system and Locomotives. The Board has also a great
roll in internal and external investment for the
native and foreign companies where the project
has about one million job opportunities for carrying
out Emsaid -Ras Ejdeer line and 25,000 job opportunities
for operating.
Railway Executive Board has thought about Africa.
It is studying the Built Operation and Transfer
(BOT) system to construct the African Railway
line which will connect Libyan ports with the
continent.
| THE RAILWAYS
PROJECT |
Goals
The following are the goals of carrying out the
railway project in Libya:
* Enhance the national economics through passengers
and goods transport
* Move the exports and imports in and out of
Libya
* Get foreign currency by transport exports and
imports
* Develop programs by getting social requirements
* Connect between the parts of the country.
|
Project Components
The project including 2,178 km of railway running
east-west and 992 km running north-south is worth
several billion dollars. The project includes
a first trance of 700 km linking Ras Jedir, at
the border with Tunisia, to the coastal city of
Sirte, and a second tranche between Sirte and
Omsaad at the Egyptian border. The North-South
line would link al-Hicha to Sebha and would take
in Libya's southern mines which have yet to be
fully exploited and the northern Misurata's iron
and steel complex on the Mediterranean. Implementation
of parts of the project had already started with
engineering works launched recently for the coastal
east-west link.
The Leader of the Revolution has reiterated the
importance of the proposed Trans-Saharan railway
line, saying that it would facilitate the movement
of peoples and goods between countries bordering
the Sahara desert. "We need to catch up on
the time wasted and reduce the distances separating
us". He stressed the need for the Sahel people
to develop their countries, practice good governance
and rationally exploit their resources and he
described the project as "strategic'' and
with high priority, like the Great-Man-Made-River
project.
Expected Investment for the Project
The total investment is expected to amount 10
Billion USD distributed in the different parts
as the charts indicates.
GRAPHIC
(Click here)
The first contract
A Chinese company won the contract for carrying
out the first stage for establishing a railway
line in Libya of 3,170 km. with the length of
the first stage being 191 km at a cost of $ 470
MM. The first stage links Tunis and the Egyptian
borders through Libya and the Chinese company
will extend the lines and the preparatory works
as well as putting the light sings.
Lines and tracks
The whole project consists of two main lines.
The coastal line which is 2,178 km long and extends
from Emsaid to Ras-Ejdeer. The southern line which
is 992 km long and extends from Elhesha to Brak
then to Sebha. The length of the lines are as
follows:
Effects
1. Economical effect:
a. Goods price: It is known that the price of
any goods depends on the supply and demand. For
demand transportation is very effective
b. Budget: the railway network is very important
for any country given that it moves exports and
imports, it reduces the cost and allows goods
interchange between countries which leads to get
currency.
2. Social effect:
Libya has a unique position where it is in north
Africa on the Mediterranean coast so it is the
stable land, the power for the Arab Nation and
the conjunction ring among the Islamic countries
in addition it connects the parts of Arabic world
because of its position among Egypt, the Sudan,
Chad, Tropical African Sahara, Tunisia, Algeria
and Niger. This great project will actually connect
Arabic countries which leads to accelerate the
Arabic union. On the other hand, the project will
also connect the African countries which leads
to merge the economical entities.
3. Strategic effect:
Libya has an excellent strategic situation where
it has very long coastline and extends through Africa.
This requires a fast strong way of transportation
which can transport huge amount of all things fast
and safely in all conditions. |
