Belgium: Despite pressure from Alstom and Siemens Mobility, the national operator SNCB has once again selected the Spanish manufacturer as its preferred supplier.
According to local media, the firm portion of the tender for 180 trains is valued at €1.7 bln, while the framework agreement for up to 600 sets is valued at €3.4 bln. SNCB emphasised that the repeat awarding of the contract was carried out taking into account the recommendations of the state council, which had previously suspended the procurement.
CAF was first named as the preferred supplier in February this year. Although its offer was not the cheapest, it scored more points than rival bids from France’s Alstom and Germany’s Siemens Mobility. Both competitors subsequently submitted appeals against the outcome, which were rejected.
The operator’s decision also attracted significant criticism, notably due to CAF not having any factories in the country and the potential threat of Alstom site closures in Belgium. However, SNCB notes that all three bidders stated their readiness to use components from local suppliers.
The tender, launched at the end of 2022, provides for the supply over 12 years of partially double-deck three- and four-car AM30 EMUs. The procurement will also include single-deck battery-electric MR30 trainsets. The rolling stock may be based on the Civity platform (pictured). The first AM30 coaches are expected to enter service in the second quarter of 2029.
SNCB will now consult with CAF in order to reach a final agreement on the contract terms. Nevertheless, Alstom and Siemens Mobility still have the opportunity to challenge this new decision.
