📋 Tender Overview
Given the aggression of Russia against Ukraine, Germany decided to further bolster rail connectivity in direction East-West in close cooperation with its allies. This approach bears clear resemblance to the successful project approved in Call1 ( Enabling 740m-trains on Corridor North Sea-Baltic – Project Phase 1), but addresses specific military/civil transportation needs in direction South-East. Therefore, constituting a complementary counterpart on the main relations of the European Transport Network: Corridor OEM and Corridor RHD. As the accommodation of freight trains with a length of 740 meters is an important feature in the dual-use requirements, enhanced investment in such infrastructure assets is a pivotal area to bring forward rail transportation for both, civil and military purposes: 1) 740m-sidings: in order to make 740m trains run without restrictions, sufficiently long enough sidings are a crucial element. They constitute, furthermore, a necessary element for stable, plannable train paths for atypical (e.g. longer and heavier) freight trains. 2) Bridges: rail bridges are a crucial though vulnerable part of infrastructure since preventive measures and servicing must be maintained consistently and over exceptionally long lifespans. The usage intensity of these bridges has more than doubled since 1994, whilst longer and heavier trains continue putting a significant strain on these bridges. Maintenance and renewal of the bridges are therefore of utmost importance for the network. 3) Terminal Capabilities: In addition, for the South-eastern flank another important asset category comes into play: As Russia is using not just energy, but also blocking of crucial food supplies as a weapon, rail has to adapt to a situation where huge loads of grain must be transported to feed the world. Therefore, this project also pays attention to enhancement of crucial terminal capabilities in line with the EUs initiative on Solidarity lanes .
