nov 30, 2025 - (CHILE) FCAB introduces green-hydrogen locomotive on first public run in Antofagasta

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With this operation, the company becomes the first rail freight operator in Latin America to use green hydrogen as an energy source.

Antofagasta Railway (FCAB) has completed the inaugural trip of its green-hydrogen locomotive, operating between Patio Norte and the Port of Antofagasta.

The run brought together national and regional authorities, representatives from the mining industry and the railway sector, as well as members of the local community. The locomotive enters service after several years of internal development work focused on reducing emissions across FCAB’s network in northern Chile.

The unit is supplied from FCAB’s hydrogen refueling station at the North Yard, where hydrogen and electrical charging systems are installed. The station is equipped to handle daily refueling of the new locomotive, which has been designed for FCAB’s existing freight corridors linking the region’s mining areas with the port.

Developed by AHTECH CRRC Qishuyan in China, the locomotive delivers 1,000 kW of power. Its hybrid system combines fuel cells and traction batteries in place of the diesel components normally used on FCAB’s fleet. The manufacturer reports that the design lowers vehicle weight by around 30 tonnes compared with comparable diesel units. Onboard tanks hold 184 kg of hydrogen compressed to 35 MPa, and the fuel-cell system generates electrical power stored in batteries that can also be charged directly from the grid.

According to FCAB, the introduction of the locomotive supports the Antofagasta plc Group’s target of cutting carbon emissions by 30% by 2030. The company plans to integrate the locomotive into its regular operations on selected routes in northern Chile as part of its wider decarbonization programme.

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