BELGIUM: National passenger train operator SNCB has selected CAF as preferred bidder to supply the future AM30 electric and battery-electric multiple-units.
At the end of 2022 SNCB called tenders for a 12-year framework agreement covering the supply of 160 km/h 3 k V DC units offering a total of up to 170 000 seats. This would allow SNCB to replace much of its older rolling stock and rationalise its fleet on a smaller number of designs.
On March 5 CAF said there would be an initial base commitment worth €1·7bn covering trains offering 54 000 seats.
SNCB said the preferred bidder had been selected on the basis of the best price to quality ratio, and CAF’s higher quality proposal had beaten a lower priced offer. The operator said the difference in ranking of the three bids had been small, however the higher quality offer was expected to bring benefits to the operator.
Responding to media criticism of the selection of the Spanish manufacturer, rather than Alstom which has local plants, SNCB said European Union procurement rules prevented it requiring or preferring local production.
- Subscribers can read an in-depth article on SNCB’s rolling stock strategy from the April 2023 issue of Railway Gazette International magazine.
