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Ukrainian Railways and Bombardier sign MoU on locomotive fleet upgrade

Posted: 12 July 2016 | | No comments yet

Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bombardier Transportation for the upgrade of its locomotive fleet.

Ukrainian Railways and Bombardier sign MoU on locomotive fleet upgrade

Left to right: Erwin Gerber, Head of Business Unit Locomotives, Bombardier Transportation and Oleksandr Buzhor, Member of the Board, JSC Ukrainian Railways

The agreement, signed on 11 July 2016, aims to develop Ukrainian Railways’ locomotive fleet through the creation of joint industrial activities in the Ukraine. Both parties agree to work closely together to define the best possible way to rapidly and cost-efficiently upgrade the fleet.

Ukrainian Railways and Bombardier sign agreement for the creation of joint industrial activities

Yesterday’s agreement was signed in Kiev by Wojciech Balczun, Head of the Board, JSC Ukrainian Railways and Erwin Gerber, Head of Locomotives Business Unit, Bombardier Transportation, in the presence of Volodymyr Groysman, Prime Minister of Ukraine, Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada, Volodymyr Omelyan, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine and Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade of Canada.

“We have agreed to establish a corresponding working group that will determine the main technical and economic parameters of the new traction rolling stock fleet”

Volodymyr Omelyan, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, said, “We are considering the possibility of cooperating with Bombardier in the joint production of electric locomotives in Ukraine. The work has already begun with the negotiations. We have agreed to establish a corresponding working group that will determine the main technical and economic parameters of the new traction rolling stock fleet.”

Erwin Gerber, Head of Locomotives Business Unit, Bombardier Transportation, added, “Bombardier, as a global leader in rail technology, is very proud to have been chosen by Ukrainian Railways, the largest rail cargo operator in Europe, to play an important role in their impressive transformation programme aimed at modernising and replacing their locomotives fleet. We are very committed to contributing to the rapid and successful development of rail transport in Ukraine, which will enable deeper integration of the Ukrainian transportation network into the global transport system.”

Bombardier has been present in Ukraine since 2012 with its Rail Control Solutions site in Kharkiv, which provides a full range of rail control services including design, turn-key signalling, telecommunications projects and maintenance services.