Industry related headlines to keep you in the know.
TransNamib is running a six-month trial of a prototype dual-fuel locomotive powered by hydrogen and diesel across roughly 50 return trips on the Walvis Bay–Windhoek corridor, in partnership with local maritime hydrogen specialist CMB.Tech.
Carbon Footprint
1 September 2026 • 3 min read
This is not a concept demonstration at a trade show. It is a dual-fuel prototype running scheduled loads on Namibia's busiest freight corridor, measured on fuel burn, reliability and maintenance — the same metrics any fleet owner would use.
TransNamib chief executive Desmond van Jaarsveld confirmed board approval for the pilot, describing it as a step towards decarbonising rail transport and testing advanced technology under local operating conditions. CMB.Tech is responsible for the hydrogen infrastructure and technical components; TransNamib is responsible for operating the unit and building internal capability around it.
The evaluation covers fuel consumption, reliability, operational efficiency, maintenance requirements and overall cost-effectiveness. Alongside those, TransNamib is assessing safety protocols and staff readiness — specifically around hydrogen storage, handling and refuelling — and compliance with rail safety standards.
Trial scope: A six-month evaluation of one prototype dual-fuel (hydrogen and diesel) locomotive over approximately 50 return trips between Walvis Bay and Windhoek. (Source: TransNamib via The Namibian, 2026)
TransNamib's fleet runs on conventional diesel locomotives. A dual-fuel prototype lets the operator substitute part of the diesel load with hydrogen without surrendering range or the ability to complete a run on diesel alone if refuelling is unavailable. Subject to trial results, the company says it may consider transitioning portions of the fleet to dual-fuel technology.
That framing is deliberately conservative, and it is the right lesson for road operators too. The failure mode for alternative-fuel projects in Southern Africa has rarely been the powertrain. It has been refuelling availability, parts supply and technician skills — all of which a dual-fuel configuration lets you build gradually rather than betting an operation on.
Van Jaarsveld was direct that long-term viability depends on economic factors, particularly the cost and availability of hydrogen and how the technology ultimately performs in Namibia's demanding climatic conditions. Heat, dust and long unsupported distances are exactly the variables that European trial data does not capture.
There is a wider context. Namibia's green hydrogen ambitions have so far been discussed largely as an export industry. A working freight locomotive using domestically produced hydrogen on a domestic corridor is one of the first credible tests of whether that production has a local industrial customer — which changes the investment case for refuelling infrastructure at Walvis Bay and Windhoek.
Watch what TransNamib publishes on maintenance intervals and staff training, not just on emissions — those are the numbers that decide whether alternative fuels are affordable for a road fleet. If hydrogen refuelling infrastructure does land at Walvis Bay and Windhoek off the back of this trial, the corridor's cost profile changes for everyone using it, including hauliers moving Zambian, Botswanan and DRC cargo. In the meantime, the practical takeaway is the trial design itself: pilot on one unit, on a route you already run, and measure the boring metrics before committing capital.
Stay connected with Southern Africa's freight and transport community.
Join 6,400+ logistics professionals across the SADC region.
Visit Laaimylorrie.com| About the Author | |
|
Andre Klynsmith Entrepreneur & Technology Enthusiast Andre's expertise spans technology, blockchain, transport, and logistics — with a passion for innovation and driving positive change across industries. |
| Source: The Namibian View source › | 2 April 2026 |
Subscribe to our Newsletter and stay in the know with all the latest Industry News, Products and Trends covering the whole of the SADC region.
KS Blockchain T/A Laaimylorrie.com . All Rights Reserved.
