Trans-european transport network (TEN-T): expanding eastwards

MILAN, June 21, 2019 - The European Union plans to expand beyond its eastern border its ambitious TEN-T initiative - in which Salini Impregilo is a participant - with major investments in roads, rail and other transport infrastructure in Ukraine and five other neighbouring countries known as the Eastern Partners, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova.

The TEN-T is part of the European Commission's efforts to improve transport links among the 28 member states of the European Union. Part of it involves building or expanding high-speed and high-capacity rail lines in member states and having them link up to those of their neighbours.

At an early June summit in Luxembourg, transport ministers of EU member states endorsed an investment plan to expand the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to the countries. Known as the Eastern Partners, they include Ministers from the six countries also took part in the summit.

The plan was introduced earlier this year as the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan. Prepared with the World Bank, it foresees €2 billion for the development of railways by 2030. More than €10 billion in other funds are earmarked for roads, ports, airports and other transport facilities and services to foster economic development. '(It) will contribute to improving transport and logistics connections that support a more efficient movement of people and goods in a pan-European transport area,' reads a statement from the European Commission.

Salini Impregilo is involved in a number of TEN-T projects and its chances of becoming further involved in the initiative are set to increase with Progetto Italia (Project Italy), an operation to consolidate the infrastructure sector in Italy and create a group with the scale and resources to compete better beyond its domestic market.

In Italy, Salini Impregilo is building the Terzo Valico dei Giovi, a 53-kilometre line that will connect the port of Genoa on the Mediterranean coast with that of Rotterdam on the North Sea coast in what is called the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. It is also working on an 18.7-kilometre section of a high-capacity line between Naples and Bari.

Another rail project that it is developing is the €186-million expansion of the 38-kilometres Bicocca and Catenanuova section of a railway line between Palermo and Catania in Sicily.

Salini Impregilo recently became involved in a project to the east of the European Union. It is to build a section of a high-speed rail line that will connect Istanbul with the Bulgarian border. Even this line will become part of TEN-T in a section known as the Orient/East-Med Corridor, connecting Central Europe with ports of the North, Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas.