Thales and Orascom Construction have signed a new contract in Egypt with the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) to upgrade the two-track railway linking the cities of Cairo, Giza and Beni Suef. Thales upgrades signalling in Egypt. The railway is located on the eastern bank of the Nile River, 115 kilometres from the country’s capital. Thales is modernising the signalling of a major line.
The contract has a budget of more than €300 million, with an expected completion period of 60 months. In addition, the line will be covered by a two-year guarantee and a further five years of maintenance services. The Thales-Orascom Construction consortium will be responsible for the modernisation of the signalling and telecommunications systems, as well as for the renewal of the track within this specific section. The scope of work includes design, supply, construction, testing and commissioning. In addition, it includes the supply of spare parts, training, documentation, warranty with maintenance services, track and civil works, according to a Thales release.
“Our collaboration with ENR underscores our commitment to revolutionizing rail systems worldwide. By leveraging our cutting-edge technologies and extensive expertise, we aim to enhance passenger safety and reliability while driving the progress of transportation networks around the world,” says Yves Joannic, Vice President Main Line Signalling Business Line, Thales.
“Continuing our partnership with ENR marks an important milestone in our mission to transform Egypt’s rail sector. By introducing state-of-the-art signalling systems, we are committed to improving the travel experience for passengers in Egypt. Through innovation and collaboration, we strive to optimize punctuality, increase profitability and raise the capacity of our rail networks, promoting economic growth and connectivity within the country,” said Alessio Bencivenni, General Manager, Land Transport Systems, Thales Egypt.
Thales upgrades signalling
State-of-the-art Thales systems and the Centralised Traffic Control Centre will be implemented as the main traffic control and signalling systems, similar to those recently installed in Cairo. These allow ENR to control and monitor the railway line between the capital and Alexandria.
Thales is already well recognised in Egypt and has been working with the Egyptian Railways since 2013. Thales has successfully handed over the Cairo-Alexandria line to ENR, including its extension on the Cairo-Benha route. In addition, Thales assumes responsibility for the line connecting Cairo to Benha, as well as the section from Asyut to Nagh Hammadi in Upper Egypt.
As part of this project, Thales will also be in charge of the line’s cyber security, ensuring robust protection against potential cyber threats.
Upgrading the Egyptian National Railways
The contract signed by Thales – in collaboration with local company Orascom Construction – is part of the Rail Improvement and Safety Project for Egypt (RISE). RISE aims to improve the safety of passengers and employees of the Egyptian National Railways by introducing rail safety and traffic control systems.
Inaugurated in 1854 with a section between Alexandria and Kafr el Sheikh governorate, the Egyptian railway network is one of the oldest in the world, second only to the British network. In the nearly 170 years since then, with over 8,000 kilometres of track and some 40 million passengers, the railway has become the backbone of the country’s transport for its citizens, carrying almost 314 million passengers a year.
Share on:
