The challenge for the railway industry is the development of infrastructure and competitiveness

The transport industry in the 21st century is not a small challenge, and one of the most important is the development of appropriate infrastructure.

Last week, with the participation of the state-owned enterprise "Latvijas dzelzceļš" (LDz) and the conference of the International Union of Railways ("UIC", "Attracting young talents to growing competitive and open market conditions"), emphasized Jean-Pierre Lubinou, CEO of UIC.

"It is impossible to ensure age-appropriate mobility without adequate infrastructure." In Europe, mobility requirements are increasing in proportion to the lifetime of infrastructure and its consumption, but globally speaking, the challenge is to increase capacity in the main transport corridors, "says Ž. P.Lubinou

As the UIC CEO explains, in the case of Latvia, the railway electrification project is a necessary precondition for the further development of the industry. "In the twentieth century, electrification in many places was carried out for two reasons – the solution of the capacitive problem and the response to rising fuel prices." Nowadays, its importance has grown even more because it is also a response to environmental challenges. "Electrification is obviously a step in the right direction" – highlights Ž. P.Lubinou

Meanwhile, speaking about the often discussed topic – searching for sources of cargo in the logistics sector in China, Central Asia and India, Ž. P. Lubinou noted that trade routes between East and West are a huge industry – they are measured in billions of dollars. Currently, the rail market has only 1% in this trade chain, but this sector has enormous potential.

"There is a very wide range of development opportunities, especially given the huge added value of rail – speed, safety and quality." The flows of cargo are changing, and LDz can act proactively and be at the forefront of this change, "adds UIC CEO.