Major U.K. steelmaker British Steel announced Wednesday it has won a multimillion-pound contract to supply rails for a new high-speed electric railway in Türkiye.
The manufacturer will deliver tens of thousands of tons of tracks for the project connecting Mersin with the cities of Adana, Osmaniye and Gaziantep in southern Türkiye.
It will help create a lower-emission transport link between Türkiye’s second-largest container port and inland cities more than 240 kilometers (149 miles) away. The project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 150,000 tons a year.
British Steel president and chief executive Xijun Cao said: "We’re delighted British Steel has been awarded this contract and to be involved in such an important project. Not only will electrification greatly enhance the transport infrastructure in southern Turkey, it will also deliver significant environmental benefits."
"We pride ourselves on providing solutions to the challenges our customers face and look forward to supplying this project with the world-leading rail synonymous with the British Steel name,” he added.
British Steel said pivotal to the project is the backing of U.K. Export Finance (UKEF), the U.K. government’s export credit agency, which has underwritten around 680 million pounds ($857.20 million) to support the construction of the 286-kilometer railway.
With financing provided through UKEF’s Buyer Credit Facility, Rönesans Holding will finish construction of the Mersin-Adana-Gaziantep High-Speed Railway on behalf of the Turkish Ministry of Transport, with British Steel as one of the key suppliers.
Erman Ilıcak, president of Rönesans Holding, said: “By upgrading the existing railway line to a high-standard railway line, we will be actively reducing negative environmental impact while offering a lower-carbon travel alternative and significantly enhancing the region's industrial connectivity and trade. Rönesans Holding takes immense pride in contributing to Türkiye’s national environmental goals and infrastructure advancement."
“Our fruitful collaboration with British exporters has secured 781 million euros in financing for the transformative high-speed electrified railway in southern Türkiye, adding tremendous value to the cooperation between Türkiye and U.K. exports and services while paving the way for exciting global partnerships.”
British Steel’s commercial director for rail, Craig Harvey, said: "This is the start of what we expect to be a new unique partnership between British Steel, UKEF and international contractors."
"The ability to combine world-leading quality rail with a world-leading finance solution for supply into global markets and networks is an unparalleled supply chain solution.”
