SAMSUNG C&T, a subsidiary of South Korean industrial conglomerate Samsung, has been awarded a $A 5.59bn ($US 5.82bn) contract to construct iron-ore processing facilities together with rail and port infrastructure to serve the Roy Hill mine project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
BARCELONA metro operator Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) has been granted Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) status by Spain's Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which will allow it to carry out railway safety assessments across the EU and beyond.
ZARAGOZA celebrated the opening of the final phase of a 6.9km extension of the city's first light rail line last week after four years of work and an investment of €400m.
DESPITE a slowdown in economic growth, Brazil's freight railways invested nearly Reais 4.9bn ($US 2.4bn) in new infrastructure and equipment last year, a 6.6% increase over 2011, according to figures released by the National Association of Rail Transport (ANTF) on April 3.
FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) says it has already sold more than 200,000 tickets for its new low-cost TGV service called Ouigo which began operating on April 2. Ticket sales started on February 19 exclusively through a dedicated website.
MOROCCAN National Railways (ONCF) has awarded a consortium of Ansaldo STS and Cofely Ineo, France, a €120m contract to design and supply signalling, train control, and telecommunications systems for the 183km Tangiers – Kénitra high-speed line.
THE China Development Bank has agreed to lend Transnet, South Africa, approximately $US 5bn to support its planned railway infrastructure rehabilitation programme which is worth over Rand 300bn ($US 33.82bn) over the next seven years.
POMERANIAN Metropolitan Railway (PKM) has awarded a €141m contract to build a 17km line linking Gdansk and Gdynia with Lech Walesa Airport to a consortium of Spanish construction group Ferrovial and Budimex, Poland.
AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) celebrated another landmark in the four-tracking of the Westbahn between Vienna and Linz on April 2 with the opening of the 16.7km Ybbs – Amstetten high-speed line.
STRUKTON Rail has increased its share in the Italian rail construction company Costruzione Linee Ferroviarie (CLF) to 60% following the acquisition of a 20% stake from Unieco, Italy.