British Steel wins multi-million contract for high-speed electric railway in Turkey

British Steel says that this will help create a lower-emission transport link between Turkey’s second-largest container port and inland cities more than 150 miles away, with the project expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 150,000 tonnes a year.

British Steel President and CEO Xijun Cao said, “We’re delighted British Steel has been awarded this contract, and to be involved in such an important project. Not only will electrification greatly enhance the transport infrastructure in southern Turkey, it will also deliver significant environmental benefits.

“We pride ourselves on providing solutions to the challenges our customers face and look forward to supplying this project with the world-leading rail synonymous with the British Steel name.”

UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK government’s export credit agency, has provided €781 million of financing (£680 million) to facilitate the construction of the 286km railway.

With financing provided through UKEF’s Buyer Credit Facility, project development and construction group Rönesans Holding will finish construction of the Mersin-Adana-Gaziantep High Speed Railway on behalf of the Turkish Ministry of Transport with British Steel one of the suppliers.

The first shipments of rail will be transported from British Steel to Turkey in the second quarter of 2024.