The European Union has selected 22 projects to improve infrastructure for military and civilian purposes. 339 million euros of accelerated funding from the EU Military Mobility Fund has been provided for their implementation. About 160 million euros will be spent on railways.

Improvement of railway infrastructure

This is reported by the railway magazine Railway Supply with reference to railfreight.

The purpose of the funding is to develop infrastructure suitable for dual use: not only for conventional transport, but also for the movement of heavy military equipment.

The European Union saw the need to accelerate the financing of dual-use infrastructure due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Against the backdrop of Russian aggression, it is clear how important it was to take a separate decision for military mobility projects, and I hope that all Member States will use it as efficiently as possible to increase European potential,” said the head of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport Henrik Goleley.

Twelve of the first 22 selected projects involve improving railway infrastructure in Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium, Italy, France, Portugal, Slovenia and Hungary.

The largest amount – 50 million euros – will receive the German Ministry of Transport. There are plans to upgrade the infrastructure of the North Sea-Baltic Corridor in order to be able to receive civil and military freight trains with a length of 740 m. The length of most freight trains in Europe reaches almost 600 m, so the infrastructure of railway stations often does not meet the tasks.

Belgian railways manager Infrabel will receive almost €5 million to build four long tracks in the city of Montzen to accommodate 740-meter trains between the port of Antwerp and the German border.

The manager of the Italian railway infrastructure RFI will receive approximately 4 million euros for the modernization of the Pontedera and Palmanova stations.

The Portuguese port authorities of Aveiro will allocate 7.5 million euros for an intermodal terminal and railway expansion.

The Slovenian port of Koper is to receive 20 million euros to improve maritime and land accessibility.

Hungary will receive 3 million euros to adapt the TEN-T railway stations in Western Hungary for civil and military use.

The Finnish transport infrastructure agency Väylävirasto will allocate almost 15 million euros for the development of rail traffic, including the electrification of the Laurila-Tornio-Haparanda railway, and 7 million for the improvement of the Oritkari interchange.

The Baltic countries, which share borders with the Russian Federation, will also improve their infrastructure in order to increase military mobility. The largest amount will go to Estonia (31 million euros). It is planned to improve the connection with the largest Estonian military base in Tapa.

Lithuanian Railways manager LTG Infra will receive almost 13 million to improve the cargo complex in Palemonas.

The Latvian Ministry of Transport is to receive 5 million to integrate military mobility requirements into the local part of the Rail Baltica project.

In the coming weeks, formal funding decisions will be made, and grant agreements with project implementers are being prepared.

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