Mozambique Ports and Railways (CFM), a public-owned firm in the African country, has bought US$4.9 million worth of railway equipment from China. The goal is to boost the passenger capacity of its railway system, Mozambican news agency AIM reported.

A total of 70 railway carriages have been ordered from China. Some of the new units were put into service earlier this week.

CFM Board Chairperson Victor Gomes said in a ceremony held in the nation’s capital, Maputo, that the new ‘made in China’ carriages had better safety systems than those currently used by the company.

Demand for railway services in Mozambique is “gradually increasing” between 3 percent and 5 percent a year, he added.

Mozambique’s Transport Minister, Carlos Mesquita, told AIM that the investment in new railway equipment would help solve the transport problems the nation is facing.

Local newspaper Notícias reported about 100,000 passengers use the Matola-Maputo railway route every day.