The Renfe Board of Directors approved a strategic move this Monday: the Medlog SA group, part of the MSC family, has become a key partner in Renfe’s Product Area. Following board confirmation, Renfe will present the proposal to the Government Delegate Commission for Economic Affairs and, subsequently, to the Council of Ministers. The aim is to transform Renfe Products into a comprehensive logistics operator by incorporating private capital into the public company. The plan envisions integrating railway services into a full logistics chain managed by regional partners, with MSC Group’s Medlog as the pivotal partner. MSC is a global leader in maritime transport, logistics, and container shipping. (Source: MSC Group)
MSC Group’s portfolio includes 760 ships serving more than 300 routes worldwide, a presence in 155 countries, 180,000 employees, and annual movements exceeding 22 million containers. This positions Renfe as a central strategic ally in the ambition to internationalize its services. Beyond improving passenger transport, Renfe recognizes a major journey ahead in intermodal movement (ship-rail-road) and inter-port connectivity. In a landscape where road transport faces mounting pressures, rail links to and between ports are viewed as essential for the future growth of any logistics operator. (Source: MSC Group)
According to Renfe sources, the selection process for the new partner began last year and culminated in Medlog after applying credible economic and technical solvency criteria. The project is described as presenting a guarantee of workmanship for all Renfe Mercancías employees. Renfe also stated that it would participate in the new project or implement it independently, without compromising Renfe’s interests. (Source: Renfe)
A core factor in the choice was Medlog’s investment capacity as MSC Group’s logistics arm. Future plans call for a thorough renovation of Renfe’s locomotive and wagon fleet, which is aging and in need of modernization over the coming years. Bringing in private capital is seen as easing the burden of public investment while expanding the scope of the venture. (Source: Renfe)
M.S.C. was one of three shipping firms—Maersk and CMA CGM were the others—that opted to partner with Renfe following the partial privatization process announced by the state operator in July 2022. (Source: Renfe)
Renfe Mercancías operates as a Renfe Operadora subsidiary dedicated entirely to freight transport by container trains and complete train sets, delivering about 50,000 services annually. (Source: Renfe)
The plan envisions MSC not being absorbed into the public sector alongside Renfe Mercancias, but rather entering a joint control framework with a shared management model. The objective is to sustain long-term activity and enable flexible business operations, potentially increasing workload, value, and profitability through collaboration with strategic partners. This approach aims to preserve public sector oversight while leveraging the efficiency and investment capacity of private partners. (Source: Renfe)
public assistance
Renfe Products recently secured 13.69 million euros in railway eco-incentives from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, under the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Alongside eight other operators, Renfe topped a list totaling 26.1 million euros in European funds dedicated to promoting rail freight transport. (Source: Mitma)
In total, nine operators were considered; eight ultimately received the subsidies because one failed to meet calculation criteria. These incentives, awarded for freight traffic in 2022, ranged from 275,000 to 13.7 million euros and were designed to reward rail freight use by reducing external environmental and socioeconomic costs relative to road transport. Renfe Mercancías estimates its operation yields annual savings surpassing 350 million euros in external costs. (Source: Mitma)
Preliminary evaluation of the summer term
The board also heard from the company president, Raul Blanco, who reported on passenger trends for the summer and the year-to-date balance through August. Notably, July and August showed a 31.1% increase in travelers over the previous year, underscoring a sustained rise in Renfe’s activity. From January through August, more than 340 million migrations occurred, with over 74 million new users joining Renfe’s offerings. (Source: Renfe)
A total of 81.4 million customers rode Renfe trains in July and August, up by 19.3 million travelers from the prior year. The July-August figures reinforce the growth trajectory of 2023, with Renfe moving over 340 million customers in the first eight months, translating to more than 74 million additional trips and a cumulative 27.8% increase. (Source: Renfe)
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