Hong Kong’s MTR Corp secures HK$30 billion 7-year syndicated green term loan

Hong Kong rail giant the MTR Corporation has secured a landmark HK$30 billion (US$3.86 million) seven-year syndicated green term loan with the support of 57 banks worldwide, the company has said.

The loan is the largest unsecured international syndicated green term loan in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa ever closed by a Hong Kong firm with a tenor equal or longer than seven years.

“With a total of 57 banks involved, the successful completion of the facility demonstrates the market’s recognition of the corporation’s capabilities and standing as well as its pivotal role in Hong Kong’s railway infrastructure,” the MTR Corp said.

The rail operator has carried out a series of fundraising activities in recent months, partly due to the need to support infrastructure development and asset replacement worth at least HK$165 billion.

The company is under pressure to revise its proven “rail-plus-property” business model by finding new revenue streams while cutting costs, to boost its financial health and prepare for future development projects.

One major project is the Northern Link, which the MTR expected to commission at least two years earlier in 2034.

It will connect the current East Rail and the Tuen Ma lines to become a major transport link serving the future border township of Northern Metropolis.