Thales signs two-year maintenance contract with Saudi Railway Company

DUBAI: Thales has signed a two-year maintenance contract with Saudi Railway Company (SAR) to maintain the signaling, telecommunication and electromechanical systems of the Kingdom’s North-South Railways project.
The 2,400-kilometer rail project, transports passengers from the capital city of Riyadh to Qurrayat in northern Saudi Arabia in addition to the heavy transport of minerals such as raw phosphates and bauxite from the Wa’ad Al-Shamal phosphate mine.
As part of the agreement, Thales will work with Buraydah’s Saudi Railway Polytechnic to train 1,500 students to obtain vocational qualifications in the fields of health and safety, mechanical, electrical, civil engineering, signaling, telecommunications, rolling stock maintenance and train driving, the company said in a statement.
“This will allow SAR maintenance teams to gradually take over the maintenance activities for the duration of the two-year contract,” it said.
“In line with [Saudi Vision 2030] and [the National Transformation Program,] this project further illustrates Thales’ commitment to ensure the SAR maintenance [personnel] are able to continue in their efforts long after our contract expires, and contribute toward the kingdom’s success,” Jean-Yves Tolot, country director for Thales in Saudi Arabia said.