MIFERMA Class CC 01-21
| Industry | Mining, Railway operation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| Fate | Nationalized in 1974, operations taken over by Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) |
| Headquarters | Mauritania |
Area served | Mauritania |
The MIFERMA Class CC 01-21 diesel locomotives were manufactured by Alsthom in France during the period from 1961 to 1965 for the Sociéte Anonyme des Mines de Fer de Mauritanie (MIFERMA), the proprietor of the Mauritania Railway. This rail line, finalized in 1963, connects the iron ore extraction site at Zouerate with the port city of Nouadhibou, Mauritania.
These locomotives were developed from the French SNCF Class CC 65000 passenger diesel models but incorporated more robust twin SACM diesel engines. They also featured a distinctive roof-mounted "skyline casing" that enclosed specialized filtration systems designed to endure the harsh Saharan sand and dust conditions.
Unlike the CC 65000 series, these units utilized bogies similar to those found on the SNCF Class CC 14000 and had a lowered carbody profile. Their cabs were adapted from the SNCF Class CC 7100 design, enhanced with an extra central door on each end for improved access.
Following MIFERMA's nationalization in 1974, control passed to the state-owned enterprise Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), which maintained operation of both the railway and its fleet of locomotives.
From 1981 onwards, the CC Class 01-21 locomotives were augmented by US-manufactured Electro-Motive Diesel SDL40-2 units. By September 1997, these CC Class locomotives were withdrawn from iron ore haulage duties and reassigned solely to passenger transport services under SNIM.