Italferr strengthens international cooperation with Latvia

Italferr, the engineering company of the FS Group and a leader in digitalisation and high-tech management of construction sites and complex infrastructure, hosted a bilateral meeting at its Rome headquarters with the Latvian delegation led by the Minister of Economy of Latvia, Mr. Viktors Valainis. The delegation was welcomed by Dario Lo Bosco, CEO of Italferr, along with the company’s senior management and representatives of the Italian Government, including Edmondo Cirielli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Viviana Bianco from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport’s International Affairs Office.

The meeting served as a high-level institutional and technical exchange aimed at strengthening cooperation between Italy and Latvia in the field of railway infrastructure and mobility, with the involvement of the FS Group. Discussions focused on future synergies between the two countries, particularly on joint development opportunities for major projects featuring advanced technological and engineering innovation, and on FS’s role in promoting sustainable mobility in Latvia.

CEO Dario Lo Bosco presented Italferr’s digital and technological expertise, positioning the company as a global benchmark in the design and implementation of complex infrastructure. Italferr stands out as a centre of excellence in digital site management and advanced training, having already contributed significantly across five continents.

He also emphasised that Italferr’s leadership extends well beyond the railway sector, encompassing road, motorway, airport, port, and interport infrastructure. The company is consolidating its presence in both station and technology hubs, with a strong focus on sustainability and urban regeneration. These goals are pursued through increasingly efficient mobility solutions powered by artificial intelligence and advanced smart systems.

Also present at the meeting was Irene Gionfriddo, Director of Foreign Business Development, Business Affairs and Sustainability at Italferr, who illustrated the company’s strategic involvement in the Rail Baltica project - a high-speed railway infrastructure that will connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to the European TEN-T network through three major contracts.

The first contract, awarded in April 2021, covers engineering services for the preparation, procurement, and supervision of the implementation of Rail Baltica’s energy subsystem (870 km), with a duration of 7.5 years. Activities include design, tender support, works supervision, testing, and commissioning of power supply, substations, and contact lines.

The second contract, launched in January 2022 and lasting 10.5 years, involves similar services for the signalling (ERTMS) and telecommunications subsystems across the entire network. This includes design, tender assistance, works supervision, and testing phases.

Each of these contracts represents the largest single agreement globally in their respective fields - electrification and signalling design and consultancy - aimed at delivering a unique infrastructure connecting three distinct countries.

In July 2023, Italferr was also awarded a third contract as Sole Contractor for Consulting Engineering and Construction Supervision Services for the Rail Baltica Mainline Construction in Latvia, commissioned by EDZL, the Latvian Railways. This framework agreement covers civil works consultancy and supervision over approximately 230 km of Latvian territory and will be developed through successive activations.

“These acquisitions are a source of pride for us, and we are exporting this excellence to other parts of the world where we are designing and building major projects with high technological and engineering innovation,” stated CEO Dario Lo Bosco.

“We hope to continue the ongoing work,” added Irene Gionfriddo, “confirming our full availability for deeper collaboration with the Latvian government, which would also increase the number of professionals involved - currently around 40, both local and Italian.”

Latvian Minister of Economy Viktors Valainis, accompanied by his delegation - Aija Mazitāne (Chief of Staff), Agnese Jaunzeme (Deputy Head of Foreign Trade Division), Aelita Čākure (Deputy Head of the Latvian Mission in Italy), and Guntis Rubīns (Head of the Representation Office in Italy) - expressed strong interest in Italferr’s engineering excellence and advanced technological solutions applied in international projects. During the meeting, he highlighted the importance of further collaboration opportunities and recognised Italferr and the FS Group as key players in the development of interconnected mobility systems.

“Rail Baltica,” said Minister Valainis, “represents a major economic and technological challenge for the entire European Union, and we are confident that, alongside Italferr, we will meet it successfully. We consider this collaboration with an internationally recognised company extremely valuable, as it allows us to pool technical expertise and deliver high-value infrastructure. Developing financial engineering,” Valainis continued, “is essential, as large infrastructure projects involve high costs and require innovative solutions for their financing.”

Deputy Minister Cirielli and Minister Valainis have scheduled an institutional visit to Latvia, during which partnership agreements are expected to be signed between Italferr, FS Italiane, and their Latvian counterparts in strategic sectors.

This meeting further strengthens Italferr’s commitment to promoting a global vision through strategic partnerships, actively contributing to technological and infrastructure progress worldwide, with the support of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.