Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) is likely to move the scheduled release of an expression of interest (EoI) for the Kuwait National Rail Road project from the first to the second quarter of 2017, according to sources familiar with the project.

MEED reported in November last year that KAPP intends to seek interest for the project in the first quarter of 2017.

KAPP was already in the process of hiring transaction, financial, legal and technical advisers as of late last year.

The project consists of six packages that include:

• Civil works – design, build, finance, and major maintenance of all infrastructure works. The public joint stock project company will have to hold an initial public offering (IPO) in accordance with Kuwait’s PPP law.
• Track, rail system and a passenger station in Kuwait City – design, build, finance, and maintenance structure. The public joint stock project company will have to hold an IPO in accordance with Kuwait’s PPP law.
• Passenger train operating company – operations and maintenance under a services contract
• Freight train operating company – operations and maintenance under a services contract
• Programme manager – responsible for delivery and managing interfacing
• Rolling stock – this may be purchased by the Kuwaiti government or the GCC rail authority, depending on joint GCC decisions

The first two packages are understood to have been structured as public-private partnerships (PPPs).