A Chinese consortium, CSC, is one of two finalists in the bidding for the concession to run heavy freight services and facilities on the Benguela Railway in Angola for 30 years, Angop says.

The consortium is composed of CITIC Group Corp., Sinotrans Ltd and China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corp.(CR20), all owned by the Chinese state, the Angolan state-run news agency reported on Wednesday.

The report quotes the official in charge of the auction, José Roberto, as saying the winner is due to be announced in May.

The concession entails running the ore terminal at the port of Lobito, Angop says.

In 2019 the Chinese government-run news agency, Xinhua, reported that CR20 had turned over the Benguela Railway to the Angolan government after rehabilitating the railway at a cost of US$1.83 billion.