Fortescue's BEL Class Leader 601 Delivered Tuesday December 9, 2025.

Fortescue's new, and class leader of the SD70J BB model battery electric locomotives, or BEL, 601 being delivered to Thomas yard on Tuesday December 9, 2025.

A Mammoet platform and two 'block' prime movers provide the muscle to shift these units that weigh around in excess of 260 tonnes. Hence why they were transported sans bogies, or trucks.

601 is a model SD70J BB with serial number 20218349-001 with a build date of 10-2025 and weighs 265 tonnes, or 584,225 lbs.

The two EMD 'Joule' 14.5 MWh BEL units left the Sete Lagoas plant of EMD in mid-October and were road hauled to the port of Itaguai where they were loaded onto the heavy lift vessel BBC Aquamarine for the sea voyage to Port Hedland via South Africa.

Designed to be charged by regenerative means and an overhead charging station, notice the conductor rods on the roof of the hood that contains the batteries.

Fortescue's New SD70J BB BEL 602 being Delivered on Monday December 8, 2025.

Fortescue's [formerly FMG] brand new EMD SD70J BB battery electric locomotive, or BEL, number 602, one of two units built for the company as it is delivered to Thomas Yard on a Mammoet platform and two 'block' prime movers and traffic pilots.

602 is model SD70J BB with serial number 20218349-002 with a build date of 10-2025 and weighs 265 tonnes, or 584,225 lbs.

The two EMD 'Joule' 14.5 MWh BEL units left the Sete Lagoas plant of EMD in mid-October and were road hauled to the port of Itaguai where they were loaded onto the heavy lift vessel BBC Aquamarine for the sea voyage to Port Hedland via South Africa.

Designed to be charged by regenerative means and an overhead charging station, notice the conductor rods on the roof of the hood.

Fortescue's new BEL 602 being delivered

Fortescue's [formerly FMG] brand new EMD SD70J battery electric locomotive, or BEL, number 602, one of two units [601 and 602] built for the company, turns off the Great Northern Highway as it heads to Thomas Yard on a Mammoet platform and two 'block' prime movers, for placing onto rails.

The two EMD 'Joule' 14.5 MWh BEL units left the Sete Lagoas plant of EMD in mid-October and were road hauled to the port of Itaguai where they were loaded onto the heavy lift vessel BBC Aquamarine for the sea voyage to Port Hedland via South Africa.

The BBC Aquamarine docked into Hedland port Wednesday morning on December 3, 2025.

This video was taken Monday, December 8, 2025.

Fortescue's Battery Electric Locomotives arrive in the Pilbara

The new Progress Rail EMD SD70J BB battery electric locomotives were built in Brazil and are numbered 601 and 602.

The two EMD 'Joule' 14.5 MWh BEL units left the Sete Lagoas plant of Progress Rail / EMD in mid-October and were road hauled to the port of Itaguai where they were loaded onto the heavy lift vessel BBC Aquamarine for the sea voyage to Port Hedland via South Africa.

The BBC Aquamarine docked into Hedland port Wednesday morning on December 3, 2025.

The images on this port were taken on December 7, 2025, and see 601 on stands while 602 is waiting for the following days departure time, and the span bolster Bo-Bo bogies or trucks. The locomotives are  reported to weigh in at 265 tonnes, or 584,225 lbs.