Algeria Links Annaba Port to Rail Network in Integrated Phosphate Project Push

Algeria Links Annaba Port to Rail Network in Integrated Phosphate Project Push

Dr. Hana Saada

Algeria is advancing the integration of its phosphate value chain with the connection of the port of Annaba to a major railway project, as part of the country’s integrated phosphate project (PPI).

Expansion works at Annaba port are progressing alongside the launch of rail link construction, both considered critical to establishing a continuous logistics chain connecting eastern mining sites to processing facilities and export markets. The port is set to serve as the principal maritime outlet for phosphate exports, contingent on effective rail connectivity.

According to Mehdi Younsi, project director at the National Agency for the Realization of Port Infrastructures, the port upgrade includes the construction of a 1,600-metre mineral quay and dredging works to deepen berths to 16 metres, enabling vessels of up to 80,000 tonnes to dock. He described the facility as a central component of the PPI, providing export capacity aligned with the project’s industrial scale, while stressing that its effectiveness depends on seamless integration with the rail network.

On the rail side, Sofiane Aichaoui, project director at National Agency for Railway Investments, said the connection forms part of the northern section of the eastern mining line linking Annaba to Bouchegouf over 54 kilometres. The programme also includes track doubling, infrastructure modernisation and route adjustments to enhance speed and transport capacity along the corridor.

The section is embedded within a broader 422-kilometre eastern mining line designed to channel phosphate flows to the port. However, the initial 14-kilometre stretch between Annaba port and Chebaita Mokhtar station presents specific challenges due to dense urbanisation and the presence of active passenger and freight rail traffic, requiring construction to proceed alongside operational lines without disrupting service or compromising safety.

To address these constraints, works are being phased to maintain traffic continuity. This includes constructing additional tracks, shifting rail operations onto new alignments, and then upgrading existing infrastructure. The approach requires continuous coordination with SNTF to manage train movements and site safety.

Noureddine Slimani of INFRARAIL said the project has entered its second phase, involving the transfer of train circulation between tracks to enable renewal works on existing lines. He noted that teams are operating under demanding conditions, working between active rail lines with continuous 24-hour traffic, necessitating strict safety measures and occasional temporary service interruptions.

The project timeline has been reinforced at the highest level, with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune setting March 2027 as the deadline for the start of phosphate exports from the Bled El Hadba mine.