Canada: The federal, provincial and city governments have announced funding commitments totalling C$660m to extend Ottawa’s O-Train DMU-operated line from Lebreton to Limebank, and to develop plans to run to Barrhaven and the city centre.
Europe: Eurotunnel has appointed Lazard and Lehman Brothers as banking advisors. Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein will continue as structuring advisor.
Ireland: Iarnród éireann is to invest a further €650000 in upgrading the Dublin - Sligo line.
Nigeria: The government has allocated an additional N1bn to revive a stalled project to rehabilitate bridges on the Kafanchan - Maiduguri line which were damaged by flooding in 2000, isolating the final 468 km of the 706 km route.
Philippines: South Korea’s Economic Development Fund and Export-Import Bank are to provide 10-year loans totalling 50·4m pesos towards the 3·6bn pesos project to upgrade PNR’s 32 km South Manila line from Caloocan City to Alabang in Muntinlupa City. PNR would acquire 21 DMUs to increase capacity.
Romania: HVB Romania is to provide CFR with a loan of €60m to fund the purchase of 30 new locomotives.
Russia: This year RZD plans to invest 4·5bn roubles in container transport, including larger capacity boxes and extra flat wagons.
Vietnam: Using Asian Development Bank and Chinese loans, DSVN plans to spend US$80m upgrading the Vinh Yen - Lao Cai line and US$70m modernising signalling on the lines from Hanoi to Thai Nguyen, Dong Dang and Lao Cai.
