British Steel rail supply for Ankara–Izmir high-speed line

British Steel rail supply for Ankara–Izmir high-speed line has been confirmed through a contract worth tens of millions of GBP for 36,000 tonnes of rail. The agreement was reported by International Railway Journal.

Also, the deal is supported by UK Export Finance. It provides for delivery to ERG International Group, which is implementing the project for the Turkish government. Once completed, Turkiye’s state railway company, TCDD, will operate the route, as noted by ERG International.

Ankara–Izmir high-speed line in Turkiye: a 599 km corridor

The Ankara–Izmir high-speed line in Turkiye is planned as a 599 km connection between the capital and the port city of Izmir. It is intended to strengthen links to a major commercial gateway on the Aegean Sea.

At the same time, Turkish authorities have presented the project as an investment expected to have a major impact on internal mobility and freight transport. According to information provided by the parties involved, travel-time savings could exceed 10 hours compared with current options. That would turn the Ankara–Izmir route into a benchmark rail corridor.

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In addition, the new infrastructure is being promoted as a lower-emission alternative to road and air transport.

Scunthorpe plant moves to 24/7 production as rail deliveries begin

Meanwhile, in the UK, the contract is described as having a direct industrial impact. At the same time, for the first time in more than a decade, British Steel has moved to continuous production—24 hours a day, seven days a week—at its Scunthorpe plant. Also, 23 new jobs have been created, as reported by The Guardian.

“Winning this prestigious contract – with the support of UK Export Finance – is a major achievement and underlines British Steel’s ability to build the sustainable rail systems of the future,” said Lisa Coulson, the company’s commercial director.

She added that British Steel is the only rail manufacturer in the UK and plays an important role in the British economy and in international trade relations.

60E2 rail profile: 36-meter bars, deliveries throughout 2026

The order covers the 60E2 rail profile, which is frequently used on high-speed lines and busy corridors. Rail deliveries will be made throughout 2026 in 36-meter bars.

Craig Harvey, commercial director for British Steel’s rail segment, said the company has experience supplying rail for high-speed projects internationally. He also said it has previously delivered to Turkiye, through ERG, for earlier phases of the Ankara–Izmir high-speed line. “For this new agreement, we have once again managed to meet the demanding technical specifications and delivery schedule, supported by a robust logistics chain,” he said, adding that the company is looking into the possibility of supplying other steel products for the project.

ERG representatives described the agreement as a new step in a long-standing partnership with British Steel. “The Ankara-Izmir high-speed project is progressing at a steady pace, and this agreement ensures the delivery of railway products that meet the highest standards of quality and performance,” said Melike Erdem, CEO of ERG International UK.

Mohamed Ibrahim, commercial director of ERG International UK, said the new contract strengthens cooperation between ERG, British Steel, and British institutions involved in export support. It also opens up the prospect of further collaboration on future international projects.

Separately, the British authorities also presented the agreement as an example of their strategy to support the steel industry. Industry Minister Chris McDonald said that every ton of steel produced in the United Kingdom and used in domestic or foreign projects helps to maintain highly skilled jobs and strengthen the reputation of British products in major engineering projects.

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