Smiths Detection technology was chosen by the Ethiopian Railways Corporation to safeguard people and infrastructure on the vital new railway link between Ethiopia and the port at Djibouti. A range of 39 scanners will be deployed to prevent threats making their way onto trains at 16 major stations along the route by delivering high-speed, accurate screening for hand baggage, larger items of luggage and cargo.
The 750km line now links Addis Ababa with the sea in approximately 10 hours. This is a huge improvement on the two or three days previously needed for trucks to haul imports and exports by road between the landlocked country and the Djibouti port, which is a strategic trade hub for Asia, Europe and the rest of Africa.
The Ethiopian Railways Corporation contract was awarded following a competitive tender based on technical evaluation, reliability and reputation. Smiths Detection’s winning bid included equipment ranging from compact scanners for personal belongings to large X-ray systems for goods pallets and comprises 18 x HI-SCAN 6040i; 12 x HI-SCAN 9075HR; and nine x HI-SCAN 145180-2is.