CP – Comboios de Portugal recorded a profit of eight million euros last year, thus achieving positive results “for the first time in its history,” the rail carrier said in a statement.
Thus, CP reported that “in 2022, it reached a historic milestone, with a positive net result of 8 million euros for the first time.”
According to CP, “the unprecedented positive net result of eight million euros symbolizes a lead of 22 million euros compared to 2021” and is recorded “in the context of a significant increase in electricity costs for train traction,” he said, adding that “these costs increased by more than 28.5 million euros in just one year.”
The carrier carried more than 148 million passengers last year, “the highest number of passengers in the past 20 years,” he stressed, noting that “the number of passengers carried increased by 2.2%” compared to the previous year. 2019, in the pre-pandemic period.
According to CP, city services in Lisbon “received a notable growth of 6.7%, while regional services recorded a strong growth of 5.1%. In addition, the influence of PART [Programa de Apoio à Redução Tarifária] was critical to increasing monthly titles by about 12%.”
CP also reported that last year “the regularity rate reached 97.5%” and “out of more than 421,000 draws, there were 11,000 removals, 9,000 of which were the result of strikes.”
The carrier indicated that “excluding the impact of strikes, the regularity will reach 99.5%”, and in terms of punctuality “reached 80.7%”.
CP emphasized that “approximately 71% of the delays were caused by factors external to CP, such as, for example, work to modernize the railway infrastructure.”
According to CP, “The improvement in punctuality and the reduction in deletions are the result of a rolling stock recovery strategy, an approach that brings significant benefits, such as reusing previously abandoned material that is in excellent condition, optimizing resources and improving CP efficiency.”
The carrier pointed out that “the importance of restoring the rolling stock cannot be underestimated as it also allowed CP to return some of the 592 series wagons to Spain”, explaining that “this was a strategic move that resulted in savings of several million euros, demonstrating the company’s commitment to resource optimization and increase financial efficiency”.
The company also said that “2022 results were also affected by the merger of EMEF with CP, which created synergies and provided significant benefits by improving the integration and optimization of the services provided.”
In addition, “incorporating resources and technical expertise, making decisions faster and eliminating duplication allowed us to take advantage of economies of scale, resulting in significant efficiency gains.”
This merger “allowed for commercial expansion”, allowing “CP to internalize the revision of ‘carts'”. [componente ferroviário]performed by a Spanish company, which improved the efficiency and quality control of operations.”
CP also began “providing bogie maintenance services to Spanish railway companies, expanding its scope and strengthening its market position.”
The carrier also noted the opening of the Guifões workshops, which “played a fundamental role, adding to the recovery of the rolling stock, performing maintenance that was previously carried out by external companies.”
According to the operator, the internalization of various services such as Rádio Solo-Comboio and a large part of the marketing services has allowed CP to “save tens of millions of euros”.
Pedro Moreira, President of CP – Comboios de Portugal, quoted in the same note, said that “the positive results achieved are the result of a sound management policy focused on sustainability and the decisive role of the company’s employees, fundamental in achieving this historic result. “.
“This historic event also testifies to the careful management of financial resources coming from public funds. This commitment demonstrates the company’s sense of responsibility to improve efficiency, minimize costs and ensure the sustainability of its operations,” he said.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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