A platform to rail work in Portugal

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has announced details of a rail trade mission to Portugal in April. The voice of the UK rail supply community and Department for Business and Trade (DBT), in partnership with the Portuguese Railway Platform (PRP), is inviting UK railway suppliers to join them in Lisbon and Porto from April 9^th to 12^th.

PRP gather relevant public and private players in the Portuguese rail sector and have offered to arrange visits to the premises of some of the key ones in Lisbon and Porto, granting British companies the opportunity to explore the potential for partnering with local players to jointly pursue the opportunities arising locally and elsewhere.

Among the projects gathering steam is the Porto-Lisbon high speed connection. With some EU funding already allocated, Infraestruturas de Portugal recently published the first international call for tender for a 30-year PPP contract, with five years for construction and 25 years for the management of the Porto-Aveiro link. This is expected to be the most expensive link worth approximately €1.9 billion and includes a new bridge over the Douro River. A second tender is expected to be launched by mid-2024 for the Aveiro-Coimbra link.

Overall, Porto-Lisbon high-speed rail is currently estimated at €4.5 billion and includes the upgrades or construction of railway stations at Porto (Campanhã), Gaia, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria and Lisbon (Oriente).

Besides high-speed rail, there is other potential for business including:

• Upgrading existing links in the Portuguese network (Beja, Faro, Vouga, Cascais) and international corridors

(Northern and Southern)

• Expansion of Metro networks – €900 million for Lisbon and €150 million for Porto until 2025

• Signalling and implementing of ERTMS/ETCS + GSM-R

• Increasing security and safety

Neil Walker, RIA Exports Director, said: “The programme will include meetings, briefings, visits and a networking event with key clients and local organisations. Information provided in the registration process will be shared with the clients and local organisations to attract interest and promote cooperation.”

Click here for further background information, mission fees, draft programme and how to register.

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