OREANDA-NEWS. DB International has received another important order from Qatar: On April 5, 2015, the company was commissioned to serve as "shadow operator" for the country's planned long-distance and freight rail services. The contract sees Deutsche Bahn's international engineering and consultancy service provider take on a key function: The company will now provide assistance and information to its client, Qatar Rail, during the process of preparing operations, thereby enabling planners to factor in a host of information relating to operation throughout the entire duration of the project.

Niko Warbanoff, Chairman of the Management Board at DB International, says, "We are honored to have been selected to head up this ambitious and important project. Our experts are aware of just how crucial their role of 'shadow operator' is, and they can call on the tremendous reservoir of operations-related expertise that Deutsche Bahn possesses."

DB International will be responsible for delivering the following services within the scope of the project: Defining the requirements regarding operation and maintenance; supporting the process of drafting documents for the operator's construction, equipment and rolling stock tenders; supporting the processes of drafting operator contracts; drafting regulations for operation and maintenance; planning operation and related processes. Other duties that DB International will handle within the scope of the project include providing consultancy services relating to safety issues, customer care, ticketing, pricing, and managing passenger and freight transport perations within the framework of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) standards.

DB International has enjoyed considerable success in Qatar since 2008. The company developed the plan for an integrated rail-based transport network that not only encompasses the Doha metro service linking the city center with the 2022 World Cup stadiums, but which also includes long-distance and freight rail routes. Since being commissioned with this project, the experts from Germany have worked on a host of other planning activities for Qatar's vital infrastructure project. The company’s new task will mean a further increase in the size of its current Doha team of 70 people.