Enabling procurement of zero emission fleet for Latvia - Ricardo Leading Lights Award for Peter-Paul Frielink

Peter-Paul Frielink has been awarded the Ricardo Leading Light Best of the Best CEO Award for High Value Delivery. The principal consultant and project manager in the rolling stock procurement support team who is based in our Utrecht Technical Centre in the Netherlands, was recognised for the work that he and his team of ten undertook to support the Ministry of Transport of Latvia to develop the technical specifications for a zero emission rail fleet to serve the capital, Riga, and its surrounding districts.

The team, led by Peter-Paul, supported the Latvian Ministry of Transport  with their procurement of battery electrical multiple units (BEMUs), or an alternative form of emission-free traction rolling stock - to replace the diesel vehicles used on routes yet to be electrified, and developed a range of operating scenarios to determine requirements regarding capacity, dimensions, operating modes, energy use, frequency and distance requirements required for the whole of Latvia to operate emission-free trains. 

Discussing the work that helped him and his team gain this award, Peter-Paul said: “Across the globe, Ricardo has unparalleled knowledge and experience supporting our clients on their journeys to decarbonise transport systems safely. For this particular project, our biggest challenge was to deliver this work for a new customer in a new territory.” 

“Our clients are having to address very complex technology challenges often in a very short space of time and increasingly are having to make informed decisions about new technologies and how to implement them safely. This is where Ricardo can really make a difference: acting as a trusted advisor on technology and safe implementation, to help the client make the right decisions for them.”

Peter-Paul has considerable experience working with trains, light rail vehicles and trams and, increasingly, new metros. In his day-to-day role, he supports rail operators, authorities and leasing companies in their procurement of rolling stock. This can cover all phases from market investigation, writing specifications, evaluation of offers, design reviews, and type test witnessing to commissioning of the rolling stock. His role combines both a focus on technical issues, and also the complete tender process including award guidelines and the purchase agreement. 

The Ricardo Leading Lights Awards recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals and teams across helping to solve some of the world’s most complex mobility, energy and environmental challenges. The awards were established to reward and highlight Ricardo people who, in their daily work, have consistently gone over and above for clients, partners, colleagues or the global communities we have the privilege to serve. Among the fifteen award categories, are the ‘Best of the Best’ CEO Monthly Awards. These CEO Monthly Awards reflect outstanding achievement by a team or an individual in delivering: an engaged team, exceptional customer experience, sales growth, high value delivery and investing for growth. For the Leading Lights, a shortlist of the best of the best of these winners is drawn up, and an ultimate ‘champion of champion’ is announced. 

Describing what his award means to him, Peter-Paul said: “I am really proud that the work that our team did for our new, very important client, was recognised, and that we have been able to play our part in helping yet another national rail system decarbonise. My only disappointment is that Storm Ciarán meant I was not able to travel to the UK to attend the award ceremony in person! However, we got the team together for a celebration here in Utrecht – it was really important to us to mark our achievement together.” 

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