Spain has ratified the Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment. This is the fourth ratification, following Luxembourg, Sweden and Gabon, as well as the European Union. The International Rail Registry is expected to begin operations in late 2023. ‘Having the registry up and running should encourage more states to swiftly ratify the protocol as they see it working and becoming a vital resource for lessors and secured lenders’, said Howard Rosen, Chair of the Rail Working Group with is focused on the implementation of the protocol.
Alstom booked €5·2bn of orders in Q3 between October 1 and December 31 2022, with sales of €4·2bn. ‘We saw continued commercial momentum, marked by the exercise of new options on several framework agreements’, said Chairman & CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge on January 25. ‘The market environment remains positive with customers confirming their investment plans in all regions. Our focus on execution is paying off with sales increasing, in line with our announced trajectory. Confident in the resilience of our business model, we confirm our short and mid-term targets.’
Inspection and engineering consultancy RINA has entered the US infrastructure market with the acquisition of the entire share capital of Chicago-based Patrick Engineering, which is active in transport, infrastructure and renewable energy. This ‘establishes an excellent platform not only in this sector, but also to grow all RINA’s businesses to make the US one of our main hubs’, said RINA Chairman & CEO Ugo Salerno on January 23.
Leasing company GATX has reported net income of US$155·9m for 2022, up from US$143·1m the previous year. North America saw strong demand for existing assets, an improved wagon leasing environment and selective sales into a ‘robust’ secondary market said President & CEO Robert C Lyons, while the international business ‘performed well’ despite supply chain disruptions that delayed deliveries in Europe and India.
Australia’s Inland Rail project has published its fourth annual sustainability report, showcasing social, environmental and economic achievements. The Inland Rail strategy includes seven objectives and associated targets for leadership & awareness, governance, community & economy, environment & heritage, resource use, sustainable procurement and future operations.