IRANIAN rolling stock manufacturer Mapna has announced the signing on October 4 of a contract to supply 40 diesel heavy freight locomotives to Iranian Islamic Republic Railways (RAI).
Worth Rials 9.5 trillion ($US 225.9m), Mapna describes this as the largest locomotive order ever placed with a domestic supplier in the history of Iran.
RAI has also awarded Mapna a Rials 2.5 trillion contract to refurbish 37 Siemens diesel passenger locomotives, part of a fleet of 150 four-axle locomotives. Siemens built 30 at its Allach plant in Munich in 2009-10 with the remaining 120 assembled locally by Mapna in its first venture into rolling stock production.
According to Mapna president, Mohammad Owliya, 85% of locomotive components will be produced domestically. The contracts will be executed over a period of 14 to 29 months, he added.
Mapna has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RAI and Yazd Rail to build 50 passenger coaches, with production planned at the Mapna’s Wagon Pars facility.
According to RAI director general, Dr Jabbar Ali Zakeri, developing domestic rolling stock production capability will reduce dependence on imports, with the locomotive contracts set to increase RAI freight traction capacity by 10%. Passenger traction capacity will be increased by 30%, enabling a 5% rise in passenger capacity.
The social and economic benefits of the rolling stock orders include a total social return estimated at $US 163.9m, according to Zakeri, with fuel savings projected at $US 53m and a $US 70m benefit from fewer road accidents.
“All these projects are implemented domestically and by the private sector,” says Iran’s minister of roads and urban development, Farzaneh Sadegh.
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