Eurotunnel announced that Quintiq will enhance the scheduling of their maintenance operations for the Channel Tunnel.
The 50km-long Channel Tunnel, which is managed by Eurotunnel, consists of two running tunnels, each divided into 3 intervals, and a service tunnel for maintenance and safety access.
With 38km of the tunnel undersea, it is the longest undersea tunnel ever built. It is also the most circulated railway in the world, with 400 trains per day during peak periods: Eurotunnel passenger and truck shuttles, high-speed passenger trains and freight trains.
To ensure this vital link between Great Britain and France, the Channel Tunnel runs varied specialised and complex equipment, such as railways, catenaries, signalling, fire-fighting, ventilation and cooling systems, as well as cross passage doors and a pressure relief valve system between both running tunnels.
These systems’ preventive maintenance operations need to be carefully and efficiently planned in order to avoid costly interruptions of the Channel tunnel commercial services.
Quintiq solution has been selected by Eurotunnel’s team of 18 planners to benefit from using a single software platform to quickly create accurate maintenance schedules and streamline maintenance operations from both sides of the channel. It will enable them to improve workforce scheduling and the sharing of maintenance resources.
Using the Quintiq solution, Eurotunnel will be able to make preventative maintenance decisions up to three years in advance, as well as swiftly responding to any disruptions on the day of operations. It will aid the company to better balance the Chunnel tunnel maintenance requirements with its service offer and ensure customer satisfaction.
Jean-Luc Pochet, infrastructure director at Eurotunnel, said: "Catering for almost 21 million passengers and over four million cars and trucks a year means that our operations need to be best in class. The improvement of preventive maintenance enables the Channel Tunnel to run efficiently and decreases downtime. The Quintiq solution offers us flexibility when planning for short-term scenarios, and also the ability to plan years ahead, enabling us to provide better service to our customers."
"We are very proud to support Eurotunnel in its efforts to improve its preventative maintenance operations," said Henri Beringer, business unit director, France, at Quintiq. "Our experience in supplying solutions for maintenance operations will help Eurotunnel improve the Chunnel’s efficiency, profitability and safety."