In July 2023, Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas, a company responsible for Rail Baltica project implementation in Latvia, signed an agreement for engineering consulting and construction supervision services for the Rail Baltica mainline construction in Latvia. The supervision of engineering works will be required during the construction and warranty period of the approximately 230 km long railway line.
After evaluating the second-round proposals from the closed competition, the Italian company Italferr (Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group), with nearly 40 years of international experience in railway management and construction, was recognized as the winner. Their submitted proposal was deemed the best in terms of work quality and professional expertise.
During the contract execution, the engineering consultant will provide the following services:
- Reviewing construction plans and preparing for construction work;
- Engaging international and local experts;
- Preparing documentation in accordance with European Union regulations;
- Conducting construction supervision in line with internationally recognized FIDIC practices;
- Ensuring compliance with Latvian legislation for construction activities;
- Auditing and verifying change orders, executed construction work, financial flow agreements, and other documentation.
Italferr has been involved in the Rail Baltica project since 2021, providing support with the implementation of the new high-speed line electrification. Additionally, in 2022, a contract was signed with Italferr for engineering and project management services for the control-command and signaling sub-systems preparation, procurement, and construction supervision. The company has gained international experience through participation in high-speed railway implementation projects in Lyon-Turin, California, Texas, Cairo, and Saudi Arabia.
Currently, the second round of the mainline construction procurement is ongoing, and the selected contractor, along with Italferr, will commence preparation work for construction.
The implementation of the Rail Baltica project is financed by the national states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — and co-funding from the European Union up to 85% of the total eligible costs, in particular in the framework of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding instrument.