(Xinhua) — China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that it has successfully completed the full laying of tracks on the PK330 Bridge, the longest heavy railway bridge on the African continent, marking a major milestone in Algeria’s Western Mining Railway Line project.
According to CRCC, this achievement highlights the close cooperation between Chinese and Algerian teams operating under extreme conditions in the heart of the Sahara Desert, and reflects the deepening partnership within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The project has created more than 7,000 local jobs and trained over 1,000 skilled workers, earning praise from senior Algerian officials.
Stretching six kilometers across shifting sand dunes and gravel terrain in Tindouf Province in the west of the country, the PK330 Bridge is the most complex structure on the railway line linking Béchar Province to the Gara Djebilet iron ore deposits. Track-laying work on the bridge was completed on Monday evening.
Construction teams built the main structure in just one year, despite extreme temperatures, sandstorms, and a severe shortage of water. They adapted their operations by carrying out nighttime concrete pours and using refrigeration units and ice-cooling techniques to ensure quality and safety.
With a total length of 575 kilometers, Algeria’s “Western Mining Line” will connect mines, industrial zones, and ports in the country’s southwest. Once completed, the railway line is expected to strengthen transport infrastructure and boost economic development in the region.
