Akiem and Alstom renew their commitment to the European rail system
In July 2023 Akiem announced a €500-million contract for the acquisition of 100 Traxx MS3 locomotives from Alstom, including firm orders for 75 units. In spring 2024 Akiem announced an agreement with Alstom giving it first-user rights to operate trial runs of three prototype Traxx MS3 locomotives. Today, 6th of June 2024, Akiem unveils the first prototype Traxx MS3 locomotive in its special Rail beyond bounds livery to its partners and customers, during the inauguration of Akiem’s state-of-the-art rail maintenance centre at Ostricourt in north-east France. Fabien Rochefort, CEO of Akiem, and Kevin Cogo, Vice-President, Locomotives, Alstom, spoke at the launch event about the challenges the rail industry faces, specifically the modal shift to rail to help decarbonise European economies and the creation of a European rail system to boost efficiency in cross-border logistics.
In a year that sees Akiem celebrate its 15th birthday, launching commercial operations of the new line-up of Traxx locomotives at our new Ostricourt maintenance facility signals a step change in our development in France and Europe. We are proud and delighted to be investing in this programme of 75 Traxx locomotives, and to deliver innovations in partnership with our customers to help improve performance and drive development of rail transport in France and Europe.
We are very proud that Akiem is expanding its fleet of locomotives with a framework agreement for 100 Traxx MS3 locomotives destined for operation in a large number of European countries. This framework agreement means Akiem and Alstom will further consolidate their respective positions in the locomotive market across a number of different European corridors, including in their home market.
This acquisition is a strategic investment for Akiem, expanding its fleet with efficient, modern locomotives able to meet the varied needs of Europe’s rail operators. The Traxx MS3 is offered in a wide variety of configurations to suit different overhead line voltages, signalling systems and traction requirements in each of the countries where they will operate. They also feature a last-mile option that simplifies end-of-journey terminal operations, a crucial feature for today’s rail logistics services.
This means Akiem is the first to own locomotives able to operate the entire corridor linking Belgium to Italy and Austria, operating on both banks of the River Rhine via Switzerland, Germany and France. This new level of interoperability effectively removes technical barriers between rail networks, simplifying and optimising freight transport along one of the most important rail corridors in Europe and helping to create a sustainable European rail network. This strategic corridor, vital to European trade and passenger transport, is now served by modern locomotives that will further boost rail transport’s competitiveness and efficiency.