Czech manufacturer beats Pesa in PKP Intercity shunter tender
Czech manufacturer CZ LOKO has won a contract to supply 18 diesel shunting locomotives to PKP Intercity, beating Polish rival Pesa with a bid roughly 30% below the nearest competing offer — the company’s second successive contract win with Poland’s long-distance passenger operator.
PKP Intercity signed the contract on 27 May, following a procurement decision at the end of April. CZ LOKO’s bid of EUR 64.2m compared with EUR 91m from Pesa.
Second PKP Intercity contract in five years
The 18 EffiShunter 1000 locomotives will be used for train formation, shunting of complete units and emergency rescue operations across PKP Intercity’s depot network. All 18 must be delivered within 48 months of signing, with the first two due within 32 months. Each unit must meet a 550 kW Stage V diesel engine standard, produce at least 220 kN of tractive effort and reach 100 km/h.
PKP Intercity took delivery of 10 smaller two-axle CZ LOKO shunters — designated SM60 in Poland — between 2022 and 2023.
Western expansion in progress
CZ LOKO is bidding in a separate SBB Cargo procurement for up to 55 dual-mode shunting locomotives combining electric traction and battery operation, to replace older Am 843 diesel units and cover both shunting and single-wagonload work. The Swiss tender is part of a broader push the company has signalled into western European markets, including Germany and Austria.