Barcelona has hosted the third edition of the Latin America-Spain Railway Dialogues, an initiative that is establishing itself as an international forum for reflection on railway transport as a key element for a sustainable future. The inaugural event this Tuesday featured the participation of the top officials from the three organising entities: Sergio Vázquez Torrón, president of Ineco, Ángel Cárdenas, manager of Infrastructure for Development at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Carles Ruiz Novella, president of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC).
The president of Ineco, Sergio Vázquez Torrón, emphasised the need to explore new financing avenues in the railway sector, especially in large projects related to freight transport, "promoting public-private collaboration formulas that make them a reality."
He also highlighted the importance of railways as a driver of economic and social progress, an ally two centuries ago of the Industrial Revolution and today of the green revolution.
Ineco, a key player in the region
The president of Ineco stressed the company's established presence in Catalonia, where Ineco applies "all the knowledge of the railway sector, with more than 320 professionals working on emblematic projects such as the La Sagrera station, the Mediterranean Corridor, or the Rodalies network," he explained.
The session, organised in two blocks (operational management and strategic financing) also featured contributions from Ineco experts: Laura Serrano, International Projects Director, in the presentation “Railway Operation: Challenges and Issues” alongside RENFE. Also, Tatiana Rueda, Land Safety Manager, who provided Ineco's perspective in the round table on railway operational safety, and Ainhoa Zubieta de Piquer, International Business General Director , who gave a presentation titled “Planning as a Tool for Investment Efficiency and its Financing”.
Barcelona, a strategic meeting point between continents
Following previous editions held in Madrid (2023) and Santiago de Chile (2024), this third event brought together representatives from governments, railway operators, financial institutions, and multilateral organisations with the aim of generating a practical exchange of knowledge and experiences between Spain and Latin America.
The technical session of the first day revolved around two key axes for the transformation of the railway: operational railway management and access to strategic financing
Second day: technical visits to Catalan projec
ts. The second day will be dedicated to technical visits organised by the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, FGC and Ineco to strategic facilities linked to railway management and intermodal logistics in Catalonia. These visits offer international delegations a first-hand view of projects that exemplify innovation and operational efficiency in the Spanish railway sector.
