Urquiza Freight Railway System Rehabilitation worth USD $550 million

In 2017, Chinese officials and Argentinian leaders agreed to the Urquiza Freight Railway System Rehabilitation project as one of the projects under their 5-year Plan Agreement (in Spanish: Acuerdo Plan Quinquenal). It was also identified as a priority in the Third China-Argentina Strategic Dialogue for Economic Cooperation and Coordination held on April 18, 2017 in Beijing. An August 2018 draft resolution from The Chamber of Deputies of the Nation of Argentina to the executive president states that the plans to improve the Urquiza Railway were not carried out, and that Urquiza Railway was excluded from all tenders for the renewal and improvement of the tracks, unlike the San Martin and Belgrano line. Specifically, this draft resolution states that during Argentina's previous government administration, 10 Chinese manufactured locomotives were pledged to the Urquiza Railway, and 100 container wagons, 150 mining hoppers, 100 high edges, 70 platforms, and 150 large granaries were purchased. The 10 pledged locomotives were never received by the Urquiza Railway, as they were assigned to other railways of Argentina's trains (Trenes Argentinos. On January 21st, 2022, Argentina’s Minister of Transport Alexis Guerrera and the President of Trenes Argentinos Infraestructura Martin Marinucci signed three MoUs with the representatives of China for three main rail projects part of Argentina Rail Modernisation Plan. In particular, the Argentinian Ministry of Transport signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Group (CRRC) Sifang for the renovation of 60km of the Federico Urquiza line, including electrification, station renovation and upgraded signalling, as well as the supply of trains. They will also be involved for rolling stock acquisition. On June 1st, 2023, the Minister of Transportation, Diego Giuliano, spoke with the CITIC company, regarding contracts signed in 2014 for the tentative supply of passenger and freight wagons and railway materials for USD 550 million for the rehabilitation of the Urquiza Line (Mesopotamia Branch), and with the interest of the Chinese company in the intention of installing a railway locomotive workshop. This company intends to invest in Argentina, since they are the ones who sold the line A subways at the beginning of 2015 and are interested in having that workflow with the national government again.

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