LONDON-based infrastructure investor John Laing has entered the German rolling stock leasing market, achieving financial close on a new fleet project through an 89% equity stake alongside Rock Rail. The value of the investment has not been disclosed.
Rock Rail announced last year that it would finance and own a fleet of 61 new Siemens Mireo Plus B BEMUs to be deployed in northwest Germany by an operator expected to be appointed by Westphalia-Lippe Local Transport Association (NWL) later this year.
The private-public partnership (PPP) investment is structured so that the new fleet is provided to the private operator designated by NWL under a long-term availability-based wet lease over 30 years, following a four-year delivery period. The first trains are expected to enter service in late 2029.
“This important new rail investment in Germany reflects both our specialist greenfield investment capabilities and our long-term commitment to sustainable transport infrastructure,” says John Laing CEO, Andrew Truscott.
