The Feronord consortium has won the OL32 Skavsta contract, part of the East Link rail project south of Stockholm, Sweden.
The Feronord consortium, comprising Infrakraft, Bouygues Travaux Publics, and Colas Rail (Colas), has been selected by Trafikverket, the Swedish transport administration, to carry out contract OL32 for the East Link project. This contract covers the construction of approximately 36 kilometres of railway line, including major earthworks and the construction of 28 bridges and 3 viaducts, one of which is a major structure spanning 1.4 kilometres.
A strategic project and a new model of partnership
The East Link project is a key infrastructure element of Sweden’s national transport development programme. It is designed to increase rail network capacity, improve travel between the Stockholm/Mälardalen region and Östergötland, and support more sustainable mobility.
This contract also represents a major shift in contracting practices in Sweden, with the implementation of a collaborative partnership model known as a “volume contract.”
Within this framework, the Feronord consortium(1) was chosen for its ability to work closely with the client and all stakeholders, as well as for its integrated approach capable of addressing the technical, environmental and operational challenges of a project of this scale.
A project built on collaboration
The initial phase of the contract, lasting four months, will focus on establishing working arrangements between the client and the partners. There will then be a design and planning phase lasting approximately 14 months, which will involve collaborating on determining the technical solutions, the schedule and the costs of implementation.
At the end of March, the order for the first phase was placed, for €50 million. The execution phase, which could get under way early 2028, is estimated to be worth €1.2 billion.
This process perfectly illustrates the collaborative approach at the heart of the project, where success depends as much on technical excellence as on the quality of the partnership.
Recognised expertise and innovative solutions
The Feronord consortium was selected for its combination of:
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the international expertise of Bouygues Travaux Publics and Colas Rail in delivering major rail projects, notably in France, the United Kingdom and Morocco;
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strong local presence, embodied by the Swedish company, Infrakraft.
This partnership will result in better integration of specifically local factors and will help the consortium to work closely with stakeholders and contribute to the region’s economic development.
The consortium successfully proposed innovative technical solutions adapted to the Swedish context, enabling the optimisation of project performance, operational safety and project completion.
This ability to design and implement solutions tailored to the client’s needs, operating in close collaboration, is a key differentiating factor within this new contractual framework.
(1) Consortium comprising Infrakraft (47%), Bouygues Travaux Publics (41,5%) and Colas Rail (11,5%).