GB Railfreight (GBRf) has signed a new 10-year locomotive lease agreement with Akiem, a leading player in rolling stock leasing for rail operators in Europe. The deal includes a £25 million investment to increase the number of GBRf locomotives in operation. This investment is supported by GBRf's recent entry into the intermodal market.
“Over the past two years we’ve seen a significant growth in rail freight, with new customers and markets coming to us for support with their supply chains. This new deal with Akiem is part of our commitment to maintain this growth and offer a more sustainable alternative to transporting goods across the UK,” said John Smith, Chief Executive Officer of GB Railfreight.
The 11 Class 77 and 66 locomotives will be delivered to the UK from January 2023 to May 2024, serving mainly intermodal transport, energy generation, infrastructure, waste, construction, and rail services. The first of the locomotives is expected to begin operating across the UK’s rail network by the summer 2023.
“In a few months’ time, when our mainland European high-performance Cl 66 & Cl77 have been converted into locomotives perfectly adapted to the UK market, thanks to the GBRf teams technical expertise, they will greatly contribute to the development of rail freight across the United Kingdom,” commented Simon-Pierre Trezeguet, Managing Director of Akiem Locomotive Leasing Business Unit.
