The largest rail freight transport operator in the Czech Republic, ČD Cargo, has recently announced plans for one of the biggest tenders in the history of the Czech operator (at least, the biggest in the last 11 years since the establishment of ČD Cargo after the separation of Czech Railways).
ČD Cargo plans to buy 50 multi-system electric locomotives and 5 diesel locomotives. Tenders will be organised on several phases. According to the announcement of the Czech operator, the first phase consists of a tender for the purchase of 10 electric locomotives and 3 diesel locomotives. The Czech operator demands that the first locomotives of this order will arrive in the Czech Republic in 2018 and 2019.
ČD Cargo announced that new procedures for the procurement of the rest of the locomotives, up to 55, will be launched four years after signing the contract with the manufacturer that wins the current tender. With this new procurement, the Czech operator wants to replace most of its very old locomotives, but also to have a more active participation in cross-border transport to strengthen relations with neighbouring countries. Thus, the multi-system locomotives will be, technically, prepared to enter the rail markets in Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria. On the long run, ČD Cargo wants to access the markets in Slovenia and Croatia.
To purchase the new locomotives, ČD Cargo will try to access several loans. Over the next months, the Czech operator will launch new tenders, this time for the modernisation of a significant number of diesel locomotives of its operating fleet.
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