Stories

KBR has strengthened its partnership with SYSTRA and Sydney Metro after the SYSTRA-KBR Joint Venture was awarded the Independent Certification Services contract for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport Line Project in Australia. Building on their most recent success on the Sydney Metro West Project, this award marks the second major services contract KBR and SYSTRA have secured together to ensure the delivery of fast, safe and reliable rail services across Sydney.

The new metro rail will become the transport spine for Greater Western Sydney, connecting communities and travellers with the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the growing region.

Part of a government deal to bring transformative change to the region over the next 20 years, the city-shaping project will provide a major economic stimulus for Western Sydney, supporting more than 14,000 jobs during construction for the New South Wales and national economies. The Australian and New South Wales governments have a shared objective of having Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport Line operational when the Western Sydney International Airport opens for passenger services.

The 23-kilometre new railway will link residential areas with job hubs including the new Aerotropolis, and connect travellers from the new airport to the rest of Sydney’s public transport system.

Emma Doherty, KBR’s Market Sector Director – Transport (North) and SYSTRA-KBR JV Executive Committee member, is looking forward to the deployment of this once in a lifetime infrastructure project. “This is such an exciting project for the community of Western Sydney,” said Doherty. “We’re delighted to have the opportunity to provide our combined expertise and work alongside Sydney Metro to play our part in successfully delivering another major metro line.”

The project will deliver an integrated transport system for the area, involving the construction of two new twin metro tunnels, viaducts and at grade alignment, as well as six new metro stations along the Airport Line, including at the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, a major industry and innovation hub. In addition, the team will provide new stations in local suburbs St Marys, Orchard Hills, and Luddenham as well as two within the Airport, the Airport Business Park and Airport Terminal. The project will enhance the liveability of local communities with greener, more connected neighbourhoods and improved access to employment and education centres.  

The JV will independently certify a number of work packages, including stations, tracks, signalling, rolling-stock, mechanical and electrical systems. Services will also include full surveillance and design for a stabling and maintenance facility at Orchard Hills, operation and maintenance of the line and its assets, and the construction of the twin metro tunnels, viaducts and at grade infrastructure through design, construction and completion.

The team will draw on their strong local civil, stations, systems and tunnelling capability, with support from the SYSTRA-KBR JV’s metro expertise in the international arena, to provide a breadth of engineering certification solutions.

To deliver these solutions, the SYSTRA-KBR JV will deepen their partnership and continue working toward shared goals in a blended, collaborative and trusted team with Sydney Metro to help certify the solutions that will bring this transformative project to life for the growing community.

Alana Newbrook, SYSTRA ANZ’s CEO, is proud to see the SYSTRA-KBR partnership go from strength to strength.

“As a proud Sydneysider, there isn’t a more iconic project at the moment to help realise the vision of the Western City Deal and bring the new city of Bradfield and the Aerotropolis to life,” Newbrook says. “Working to independently assure the best outcomes for our state and our community and to unlock the huge potential in Western Sydney as a gateway to the rest of the world is a privilege for us all to work on.” 

With growing demand in the Australian Transport sector, KBR looks forward to building our brand as a trusted partner as we expand our portfolio to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions across the nation.