CRRC Zhuzhou starts local metro carbuilding in Turkey

TURKEY: CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co formally marked the start of local assembly of driverless metro trainsets for Istanbul with a ceremony in Ankara on June 7, describing the occasion as ‘a historic moment for Turkey’s rail transit industry’.

The Chinese builder was awarded a TL1·5bn contract in April 2020 to supply 176 cars for the driverless metro line M11 serving the new Istanbul airport. The first stage of this line was opened in January, with the remainder expected to be completed by the end of this year. Designed to operate at up to 120 km/h in four- or eight-car formations, the trains are being equipped for unattended operation to GoA4.

Local assembly is intended to meet a contract requirement for 60% domestic content. CRRC Zhuzhou said it would work with 13 Turkish companies to assemble an initial batch of 60 vehicles.

General Manager for Turkey Li Yangyang said the company was ‘committed to win-win co-operation with local companies across procurement, manufacturing, operation and maintenance’. The 60% localisation of the train manufacturing project would create more than 200 jobs, and ‘directly promote the development of the local rail transit industry’, he explained.