Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) signed a EUR 28.52 million contract with a Sacyr consortium to remove the current traffic constraints and to increase the transport capacity on Sines – South Line, which will enhance the safety and capacity along the Sines-Elvas railway on the Linha de Sines (South Line).
António Laranjo, the President of IP, and Marcos Rubio Blanco, the representative of Sacyr Neopul/ Sacyr Somague consortium signed the contract. The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Infrastructure Pedro Nuno Santos, and the Secretary of State for Infrastructure Jorge Delgado.
The consortium will be responsible for the modernisation of the section between Ermidas Sado and Sines which includes the renewal of the tracks, embankment, the construction of the drainage system, as well as the renovation of two passageways. Sacyr will also build a new technical station and will modernise the existing one and will install the fixed electric traction system and the basic infrastructure for signalling and telecommunications.
A complete replacement of the track superstructure will be carried out with the use of polyvalent monoblock concrete sleepers. The project also involves the removal of 60 E1 level crossings, the construction of a new technical station and a new track layout at São Bartolomeu da Serra station. The project will allow 750m long-trains to run along the rail connection, increasing transport capacity.
The modernisation of the Sines – South Line railway link is part of the Modernisation Programme of the National Railway Network, Ferrovia 2020. The contract is part of the Sines-Elvas railway global project which aims to modernise the existing railway infrastructure, and after the construction of the Évora Elvas section, to establish a direct link between Sines and Badajoz.
The project is part of the Sines-Elvas (Spain) global project / Sines-Ermidas-Grândola (Obra) section, approved the European Commission under the CEF 2016 Transport Call. EUR 44.14 million was the total eligible cost, with a EUR 33.73 million European contribution, representing a co-financing rate of 85%. The project will increase the reference track speed between Sines and Ermidas to 100 km/h. The maximum capacity of the Sines-Ermidas-Grândola will be increased from 36 freight trains per day with a length of 400 metres to 42 freight trains per day with a length of 750 metres.
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