Following the tender launched in September, ČD Cargo will purchase 10 additional Traxx MS3 multi-system locomotives from Bombardier Transportation to meet traffic demand and renew its locomotive fleet. The delivery for the new locomotives is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
The call for tenders addressed 13 potential tenderers from among manufacturers or other providers of locomotives on the European market. The carrier also used its contracting authority profile to address other tenderers. The winner was again Bombardier Transportation GmbH, now part of the Alstom Group, which clearly submitted the most economically advantageous offer.
The Czech railway freight operator says that up to ten new interoperable locomotives should be purchased each year in line with its development strategy.
“Without modern interoperable locomotives, we are not able to operate on foreign markets. Last year’s pandemic year, we provided transport of 4.5 million tonnes of goods outside the Czech Republic. This year we plan to at least double these volumes. Therefore, in accordance with the concept of sustainability and development of the rolling stock, we decided to purchase other modern multi-system locomotives,” the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ČD Cargo Tomáš Tóth said.
ČD Cargo already uses two 388 Traxx 3 MS locomotives as part of the test operation, and other 8 locomotives will gradually arrive soon to expand the test operation. They will be deployed during April, and so far only for performances within the Czech Republic.
According to the purchase agreement, the first ten locomotives of this series were to be approved for operation in all neighboring countries and in Hungary. Unfortunately, the European approval process has still not been completed. “We now see no reason to end our cooperation with Bombardier. The company faced non-compliance with the delivery deadline set out in the contract with all the ensuing consequences. I cannot comment on the details due to confidentiality, but I would like to assure you that the delay was fully compensated despite the complications caused by the pandemic. There is therefore no reason to end the cooperation” Tomáš Tóth explained on the acquisition process.
In December 2020, the European Investment Bank and CD Cargo signed a CZK 3.43 billion (EUR 131.1 million) loan for locomotive procurement.
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