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Powerful European Group to Bid for Malaysia-Singapore High-speed Train

Powerful European Group to Bid for Malaysia-Singapore High-speed Train

A powerful European consortium that includes Alstom and Siemens has partnered with a Malaysian firm to bid for a high-speed train project connecting Malaysia and Singapore, the companies announced Monday (Feb 12).

The consortium is expected to face an array of competing bidders, including those from China and Japan. The Japanese government will join forces with 10 companies that include East Japan Railway and Sumitomo Corp, Nikkei Asian Review reports.

Bids must be submitted by the middle of this year and the contract is expected to be awarded by year-end.

According to Nikkei Asian Review, their joint bid includes responsibility for designing, building, financing and maintaining all rolling stock, as well as the trackwork, power, signalling and telecommunications. 

Alstom's TGV, left, and Siemens' ICE at the Gare de l'Est in Paris. Image: Asia Nikkei Review
Alstom's TGV, left, and Siemens' ICE at the Gare de l'Est in Paris. Image: Asia Nikkei Review

 

The European members of the consortium have "long technology leadership" and experience in delivering cross-border HSR projects, they said in a joint statement on Monday. 

The 350-kilometre (217-mile) link that will connect Singapore with the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur is targeted to be completed by 2026.

The railway is expected to cut travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes from about four to five hours currently by road. It takes an average 50 minutes to travel by plane.

There is currently no train service between the two capitals.

A Shinkansen train pulls into Tokyo Station on Jan. 3, 2015, in Tokyo, Japan. Image: Shutterstock.com/Vincent St. Thomas
A Shinkansen train pulls into Tokyo Station on Jan. 3, 2015, in Tokyo, Japan. Image: Shutterstock.com/Vincent St. Thomas

 

As well as Germany's Siemens and France's Alstom, the other consortium members are Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and Austrian construction firm PORR.

They will partner with Malaysian engineering firm George Kent to bid for the project.

"This partnership shall result in a powerful team combining European technology and project experience with the best local experience," said a joint statement filed with the Malaysian stock exchange, as reported in Channel News Asia.

Alstom last year announced a merger with Siemens  to be completed in 2018.

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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