Chinese railway giant CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) has taken an important step towards strengthening its presence in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) market. As of April, the company has initiated the EAEU certification process for its CKD6S and CKD9C model locomotives. Five-year declarations of conformity have been issued by authorized certification bodies in Russia under the TR TS 001/2011 technical regulation. The CRRC factory in Ziyang, China, is manufacturing these locomotives, while the applicant is an organization called iCan.
Ziyang Factory Focuses on EAEU Market
CRRC’s Ziyang plant has been actively conducting certification processes across the EAEU since the beginning of 2025. In particular, the plant has provided more than 15 compliance documents for various railway components for KazRailLocomotive in Kazakhstan. These documents cover critical parts such as axles, wheel bandages and brake cylinders that will be used in KazRailLocomotive’s series production. However, the CKD6S shunting locomotives and CKD9C mainline locomotives are yet to complete the full certification process in the region.
Kazakhstan Opens Its Doors to Chinese Technology
The shunting CKD6S locomotives were delivered to Kazakhstan last year under a major contract with Kazakhstan railway operator “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” (KTZ). KTZ continues to modernize its fleet in order to achieve greater operational efficiency. The mainline CKD9C locomotives arrived in Kazakhstan between 2012 and 2014, and 16 of these machines are currently in active use by private operator Silkway Transit. A report by ROLLINGSTOCK analysts in February highlighted China’s growing influence in the EAEU market. Kazakhstan stands out as a primary entry point for Chinese railway technology. In the first quarter of 2024, Kazakhstan issued 58 conformity certificates and declarations for railway products, 74% of which (43 units) concerned products of Chinese origin.
CRRC Strengthens Its Position in the Region
CRRC is increasingly strengthening its position in the EAEU market and increasing its component deliveries to the region. With these strategic moves, the company aims to play a key role in the modernization of the railway infrastructure of the EAEU countries. Kazakhstan’s support for cooperation with China is accelerating the development of the country’s transport infrastructure. A modern railway fleet also contributes to economic growth by increasing regional logistics efficiency. While CKD6S locomotives have proven their reliability on 1520 mm gauge railways, CKD9C locomotives continue to be in demand among private railway transport companies in Kazakhstan. Experts expect a significant increase in Chinese railway equipment supplies to the EAEU region in the coming years. CRRC aims to further expand its presence in the EAEU market by 2030.
Certification Offers New Opportunities
The commencement of the EAEU certification process for CRRC locomotives also opens up new business opportunities for other Chinese railway equipment manufacturers in the region. This could lead to further competition among railway equipment suppliers in the coming period. While Kazakhstan has benefited significantly from this cooperation by rapidly modernizing its railway network, other EAEU countries are lagging behind Kazakhstan in these modernization efforts.
