Transport Ministry official: we consider preparing CFR Marfa for privatization

The Transport Ministry is considering the preparation of the rail freight operator CFR Marfa for privatization, after it went through an extensive restructuring process in 2014, State Secretary Iulian Matache of the Transport Ministry told a Thursday's conference organized by the Association of European Rail Industry - UNIFE.

He said the company was considering this year the upgrading of seven locomotives and 40 freight cars and repairing 2,500 freight cars.

Matache added that, in 2014, CFR Marfa carried 28 million tonnes of freight. "With a volume of 28 million tonnes of freight carried in 2014, the company is the leader of Romania's freight transport market; it went through an extensive restructuring process in 2014. The main future plans of the company are maintaining and increasing its market share. The company aims to consolidate its position on the rail freight market by signing new contracts, increasing speed and reducing transport time," said the state secretary.

As to the development of intermodal freight transport in order to further use the type of 'door to door' transport, Matache said that the company wanted to keep its container wagons, put into circulation complete trains of containers or mobile boxes on domestic and international routes, develop intermodal platforms and upgrade some existing platforms in public private partnerships in regions with economic impact, such as Bucharest, Timisoara, Bacau and Suceava. AGERPRES