Three newly built train sets have been delivered on Wednesday at the central Angolan port of Lobito to the operator of the Benguela province railway, Angop reports.

The Angolan state-run news agency says the trains will be used for passenger services between the cities of Lobito and Benguela.

The report says the operator hopes the number of passengers the railway carries each month will rise to over 450,000 from 80,000 once the trains are deployed.

Each of the trains can carry 696 passengers, 190 of them seated, the report quotes National Institute for Railways of Angola Director-General Ottoniel Manuel as saying.

The train sets are part of an order for 12, which will be deployed on lines serving the provinces of Benguela, Huíla and Luanda, Angop quotes Mr Manuel as saying.

The Huanbohai News website in China has reported that a Chinese company, CRRC Tangshan Co. Ltd, built the train sets.