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Wednesday, 17 August 2022

Deutsche Bahn, Elsewedy to operate high-speed rail

Deutsche Bahn, Elsewedy Electric sign to manage and operate high-speed rail: The National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) yesterday inked a preliminary agreement with German railway operator Deutsche Bahn and El Sewedy Electric to manage and operate the three lines of our planned high-speed rail network, according to a Transport Ministry statement.

Meet Deutsche Bahn Egypt: Deutsche Bahn and Elsewedy will form a JV, Deutsche Bahn Egypt, through which they will manage and operate the network. The final contract will see Deutsche Bahn Egypt run the rail network for 15 years, with the option to extend for another 15 years, the statement read.

About Deutsche Bahn: The state-owned firm is Germany’s national passenger rail operator and runs rail and other public transport services across the UK and Europe, as well as an international freight and logistics business.

Deutsche Bahn is the second German company to join forces with local players for the high-speed rail project, after the government signed Siemens Mobility alongside Orascom Construction (OC) and Arab Contractors to design, install, commission and maintain the three high-speed rail lines. Siemens is providing the trains and will install the signaling systems and power supply for the project.

The move comes as part of the government’s plans to increase private sector participation in the economy and benefit from international expertise to upskill local workers, Transport Minister Kamel El Wazir said in the statement. Egyptians will account for 90% of the project’s workforce, he added, with local engineers and technicians set to receive training from the international firms.

BACKGROUND- The USD 23 bn, 2k-km line will connect 60 cities across the country, linking Cairo, Aswan, the North Coast and the Red Sea. Trains are set to run at up to 230 km/h.

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