Eight new Locomotives arrive in 2019 – Serbia Cargo and Siemens sign contract worth 32 mil EUR
Serbian national railway cargo operator, Serbia Cargo purchased eight multi-system locomotives Srbija from Siemens AG Austria for almost 32 mil EUR. Vice-president of the government, Zorana Mihajlovic noted that it is the first purchase of state-of-the-art locomotives after more than 30 years.
Funds were secured from EBRD credit. New multisystem locomotives will be delivered by the end of March 2019, and Mihajlovic states that it is much faster than originally planned.
Mihajovic, after the representatives of Serbia Cargo and Siemens signed the agreement, said that through this purchase Serbia obtains comparative advantage in the region.
– Serbia will be the only country in the region to have this modern multi-system locomotives – said Mihajlovic, and emphasizes that Serbia gains advantage in the Transport Community itself, that was founded with seat in Belgrade.
The contract on purchase of new locomotives were signed by the Acting Director General of Serbia Cargo Dusan Garibovic and the representatives of Siemens company Technical Director of Mobility Group Karl Strasser and the Commercial Director of the group, Novak Gelter.
Garibovic stated that the signing of the agreement is a very important event that Serbian railways have been waiting for years, and that the new locomotives will solidify leadership position of Serbia in the region. He stated that the goal is optimal 3,000 wagons and 80 electric and diesel locomotives.
He announced that in the following four to five years, Serbia Cargo will invest more than 50 mil EUR from own funds for overhaul of diesel and electric locomotives that will use reconstructed and modernized railways.
Serbian railways, he says, was and is a part of European railway, and purchase of new multisystem locomotives will place it on the railway map of Europe.
Director General of Siemens, Udo Eichlinger, said that the contract with Serbia Cargo is very important for that company and is a stepping stone for upcoming activities in Serbia, including the activities planned in Kragujevac.
– With new locomotives you will be able to travel from Thessaloniki to Europe by rail – said Eichlinger and added that it is his personal wish to be present during the delivery of new multi-system locomotives to Serbia.
Multisystem Vectron locomotives fulfil European standards concerning environment protection, noise, energy saving and are very adaptable. They are equipped with national train control systems, and will also be equipped with ETCS. They will be produced in Siemens factory in Munich.