High Speed Line Zuid
The background
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, a major air transportation hub in Amsterdam, Netherlands, was facing capacity issues due to a growing demand for international travel. At the time, the Netherlands required urgent investment in transportation infrastructure, as there were few options for commuters to travel to European destinations.
To boost economic development within the country, and to address capacity constraints, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water delivered High-Speed Line (HSL) Zuid. The project was perceived to be extremely complex due to its construction requirements. Therefore, an experienced consortia of trusted partners, who had international expertise in rail projects was required.
In 2001, Infraspeed B.V consortium – consisting of Invesis, Fluor Infrastructure, Siemens Nederland, Innisfree PFI Continuation Fund, and HSBC Infrastructure – were awarded the contract to design, build and maintain the project for a period of 25 years.
Client
Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management
Capital Value
€906m
Investor/Sponsor
Invesis, Fluor Infrastructure, Infrared, Innisfree
Consortium
Infraspeed b.v
Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)
BAM Infra, Siemens, Fluor
Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
BAM Rail, Siemens
Business value
HSL Zuid is a key part of the European High-speed Rail Network, connecting Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Schiphol to multiple destinations across Europe. The project was the largest public-private partnership contract awarded by the Dutch government at the time and is one of the largest high-speed railway projects in Europe.
Comprehensive financial and development solutions were required to successfully deliver the concession. Each member of the Infraspeed B.V consortium brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, having previously delivered complex financial, design, construction, operations and maintenance works for complex rail projects around the world.
Therefore, through fostering collaborative relationships with multiple skilled parties and the client throughout the project lifecycle, Invesis was able to support the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water in delivering a vital piece of infrastructure that will help boost the Netherlands economy and substantially improve its transportation system.
Key features
By using the PPP contract approach and partnering with the Infraspeed b.v consortium, the project…
- was specially designed for trains to reach a maximum speed of 300km/hour, the line has reduced travel time between Amsterdam and Rotterdam to approximately 35 minutes, compared to the previous travel time of around one hour
- PPP model used for the High-Speed Line Zuid has been studied and replicated in other infrastructure projects around the world
- in 2020, had a wind warning system installed on the HSL Zuid railway bridge, over the Diep River. This innovative technology is crucial, as strong winds can disturb the normal operation of trains, cause damage to the rail infrastructure or even cause accidents like derailment or overturning.
