STADLER has confirmed that it is no longer possible to meet the planned delivery schedule for a fleet of 22 Flirt multiple-units ordered by Portuguese Trains (CP) in October 2020.
Under the contract, Stadler says delivery of the first trains from the new fleet, which comprises 12 74.4m-long bi-mode trains and 10 63.2m-long EMUs, was due to commence by the end of 2025, continuing at a rate of two per month until July 2026.
However, Stadler says that due to “various contingencies not attributable to the manufacturer,” this delivery schedule will no longer be possible. Factors beyond its immediate control include the impact of severe flooding in October 2024 on the supply chain for its plant in Valencia, Spain, that is building the new CP fleet.
While the plant escaped damage, Stadler said last month that around 40 of its suppliers were severely affected, with their production facilities and warehouses destroyed or flooded with mud. This has resulted in a lack of essential components for rolling stock that requires new supply chains to be established.
“Stadler will submit a proposal with a new schedule for the trains' delivery, which will be analysed and evaluated,” a Stadler spokesperson told IRJ. “These units will still need to undergo a testing and homologation process before they can be used in commercial service in Portugal.”
The contract is worth €158m and also includes training and maintenance of the new fleet for at least four years. The trains will be used on regional services across Portugal. Their modular design offers the possibility of retrofitting for full electric operation or the replacement of the diesel engine with a battery power pack.
Stadler said at the time of contract award that the trains are the first it will build for the Iberian 1668mm gauge.
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