The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency has signed a procurement contract for assessment body services for the first commercial track section of the Digirail project between Tampere and Pori/Rauma. The services are provided by Certifer Belgorail SA, a Belgian company specialising in inspection and certification services at both national and international level.
The first commercial track section of the Digirail project (EKA) between Tampere and Pori/Rauma will see the modernisation of railway safety equipment and train control systems through the transition to the European Train Control System (ETCS). The introduction of the system requires approval by independent assessment bodies in order to ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of the system.
Certifer Belgorail SA has been selected as the provider of assessment body services. This is an inspection and certification body specialising in providing inspection and certification services for national and international needs. The roles and responsibilities of assessment body services are distributed as follows:
The Assessment Body (AsBo) assesses the risk management and safety of the EKA project, ensuring that the system complies with railway safety standards and that all risks have been identified and managed appropriately.
The Notified Body (NoBo) on its part assesses the interoperability of the EKA track section systems and ensures that they comply with European technical specifications. NoBo issues EC accreditation certificates, which are required for the deployment of the systems.
When applying for a permit to deploy the EKA project, Traficom requires AsBo and NoBo to provide verification that the system meets all safety and interoperability requirements.