Bird & Bird advises Akiem on the acquisition, financing and leasing of a fleet of 14 battery-powered electric trains
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International law firm Bird & Bird has advised Akiem Group SAS, the European leader in the leasing and maintenance of locomotives and passenger trains, on signing a strategic contract with ODEG, a leading regional rail operator in Germany.
This contract includes the acquisition and leasing of a fleet of 14 battery-powered electric trains of the Stadler Akku Flirt 3 type to ODEG. These can travel at least 100 km in autonomous mode without electric infrastructure. The lease runs from December 2027 to December 2040 and replaces a fleet of diesel trains.
The acquisition of the electric trains is being financed by syndicated loan facilities structured by Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB) in the amount of over €100 million. In addition to CACIB the banking consortium includes CIC, La Banque Postale and Natwest. The financing includes an investment grant from the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) as part of the energy transition.
By singing this contract, which is part of a global strategy to invest and grow in this sector, Akiem is positioning itself in the market for leasing passenger trains. The company plans to invest more than 1 billion EUR in continental Europe in the coming years, particularly in the German and French market.
Akiem Group SAS has been advised by the following Bird & Bird lawyers: partner Dr. Matthias Winter (lead) and associate Freya Ahrens, as partner Sebastian Bergenthal, LL.M. and associate Jannik Bach (all Finance & Financial Regulation, Frankfurt), partner Dr. Rolf Schmich and Counsel Michael Brüggemann (both Tax, Frankfurt) as well as partner Dr. Stefanie Orttmann, LL.M., Counsel Jan Medele and associate Lara-Lucia Klocke (all Corporate, Düsseldorf).