SNCB gets the go-ahead to award CAF the “contract of the century”

A new chapter in the award to CAF of the so-called “contract of the century” to manufacture up to 600 AM30 series trains for SNCB, the Belgian public operator.

Belgium’s Council of State, equivalent to an administrative court, dismissed Alstom’s claims on Wednesday that the award to CAF should be suspended. A few days prior, it had done the same with the challenge made by the other rival, Siemens Mobility, which objected on technical grounds.

The framework contract, valued at 3.4 billion euros, is the largest received by the Spanish manufacturer in its history. It covers the supply of up to 600 trains totalling 170,000 seats. With a 12-year duration, the contract includes an initial order for 180 trains.

The initial contract amounts to 1,695 million euros for the supply of 180 trains totalling 54,000 seats.

Two unsuccessful appeals to prevent CAF from manufacturing SNCB’s AM30 trains

CAF was chosen as the preferred bidder in March. This election was stopped the following month by the Council of State following Alstom’s first appeal. Although on 23 July the court rejected the award, at the end of August the French manufacturer challenged it again, this time together with Siemens.

Alstom had objected because the award to CAF would jeopardise jobs at its Belgian factories in Bruges and Charleroi, where 1,500 people work, and took the case to the Council of State following a strike at its Bruges plant.

With these appeals rejected, SNCB and CAF expect to formalise the agreement before the end of the year, marking a milestone in the renewal of the Belgian railway fleet with the new AM30 trains.

The production of the new trains will allow the retirement of the oldest trains, the AM75 and AM80 series, totalling 180 trains. If the order is extended, the renewal could lead to the withdrawal of the AM 86 and AM 96 trains.