In June 2023, Stadler delivered the first five out of seven ordered Euro 4001 locomotives for PorTren in Uruguay. While that news got much attention, the JV between the Spanish company Cointer Concesiones (Azvi Group) and Uruguayan logistics group Christophersen (CHR Group) also received freight wagons for the planned transportation. There were 120 cellulose wagons and 20 wagons for chemicals ordered in total. Wagons, like the Euro 4001 locomotives, were transported from the Port of Bilbao in Spain to the Port of Montevideo in Uruguay.
New pulp wagons are 17 meters long and can transport 64 tonnes. The cellulose loading and unloading process will be carried out through the upper deck, which has an electric opening and closing system. Trains consisting of 26 wagons will be formed for the pulp transportation. PorTren is also building a 3,000 m2 workshop to maintain the entire fleet.
Once put into operation, Azvi Group and CHR Group will cooperate with DB International to function as a rail freight carrier under the brand DBCC. It plans to transport two million tons of pulp per year from the UPM2 plant to the port of Montevideo. The concession was granted to DBCC for 22 years. The trains will run on the currently reconstructed Ferrocarril Central de Uruguay (Central Railway Project), which is half of the Montevideo – Rivera line, ending in the UPM2 factory, owned by the Finnish forest industry company, UPM-Kymenne in Paso de los Toros.
Check also this video of PorTren Euro 4001 locomotive on test in Uruguay:
