Belgium's Lineas Extends Wagon Lease Contract

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 4, Belgian rail freight operator Lineas and French rail wagon leasing company Ermewa agreed to extend part of their existing wagon lease contracts, with the cooperation to continue for several years to come. The two parties confirmed the arrangement during a meeting at Ermewa's headquarters in Levallois-Perret, near Paris, France. The renewal covers a relatively large portion of the existing lease contracts between the two parties.

The cooperation between the two parties began in 2021. That year, Lineas established a long-term asset cooperation with Ermewa and British rail asset leasing company Beacon Rail, involving the sale and long-term leaseback of approximately 4,000 rail wagons, as well as the phased sale and leaseback of 109 T77 diesel locomotives. This renewal continues the existing wagon leasing cooperation rather than representing a new round of vehicle procurement or new orders.

Ermewa currently owns more than 50,000 rail wagons, with a fleet portfolio covering approximately 120 types to meet different cargo transport needs. Its long-term leasing business provides rail operators with wagon resources, enabling them to configure vehicles according to transport tasks and cargo types. For Lineas, extending the existing lease contracts helps maintain the vehicle supply needed for its European rail freight operations and reduces the impact of fleet resource adjustments on transport organization.

Lineas Chief Operating Officer Alban François stated that the reliability of rail freight depends on stable, long-term partnerships. The contract extension will continue to support the company in providing stable and reliable transport services to its customers. The two parties also commemorated their long-term cooperation at the meeting by exchanging locomotive models.