MADRID, 23 (EUROPEAN PRESS)

Globalvia has completed the acquisition of 24% of the capital Iryo from Air Nostrum two months before the new rail operator begins running high-speed trains between Madrid and Barcelona and soon to Levante and Andalusia.

The mobility infrastructure company has announced the closure of these operations after obtaining all the necessary administrative authorizations to formalize its entry into the capital Iryo without disclosing economic figures, although analysts valued around 200 million euros when disclosing the purchase agreement.

Until now, the company’s share ownership is controlled by 55% by Air Nostrum and 45% by Trenitalia, an Italian public operator which is 100% controlled by the country’s Ministry of Economy. However, now, the 55% package will now be divided into 31% for Air Nostrum and another 24% for Globalvía, with the State of Italy having the majority position.

Thus, after the railway liberalization process, Renfe, with 100% Spanish public capital, has emerged from two competitors whose largest shareholders are the states of France and Italy. On the one hand Ouigo, from the French public operator SNCF, and on the other Iryo.

In addition, Globalvía, which was formed in 2007 to unite all concession assets of the FCC and Caja Madrid under one group, became controlled in 2016 by three pension funds from Canada, the Netherlands and the UK.

Globalvía ​​has tried to take over several routes in the liberalization process that Adif opened in 2019. It was linked to Moventia but did not reach any path. Andalusian company Eco Rail and the group formed by Talgo, Globalia and the Trilantic fund also competed.

“Being part of the largest private rail operator in Spain reinforces our commitment to new forms of mobility in the countries where we operate. This gives us a much broader vision of transport infrastructure management, and the added value of advancing and innovating in each of those infrastructures. After the pandemic, high-speed rail will be an essential element for sustainable mobility, which we look forward to moving forward together with our partners on a long-term vocation”, said Globalvia CEO, Javier Pérez-Fortea.