“Etihad Rail made progress on the development of United Arab Emirates railway infrastructure. Starting this year, we will implement the Stage Two of the railway network. The pre-qualification phase is soon to be completed and this year we will start construction works,” Shadi Malak, the CEO of Etihad Rail, said at Middle East Rail 2019, in Dubai.
Stage Two envisages the construction of a 600-km railway line linking Ghuweifat on the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah on the east coast, to be followed by future route additions.
In December 2018, the company published the tenders on locomotive procurement and operation and maintenance facility under the Stage Two of UAE’s railway network which will have a total length of 1,200 km from the border of Saudi Arabia to the border of Oman.
Under this stage, the Project Management and Engineering contracts were awarded.
This year, Etihad Rail has announced a new strategy and its new logo, to contribute to achieving the objectives of the UAE’s priorities. The four-pillar plan is focusing on the development of the railway network, including logistics sector to support country’s economic development.
Another important step was the MoU signed with ZonesCorp to create logistics facilities within the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Rail has also signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports to connect Khalifa Port to the national railway network.
Etihad Rail seeks to excel globally with teams of local expertise, marking a quantum leap in the logistics sector by providing unique solutions for shipping, handling and distribution. It also aims to achieve sustainable development and economic growth by linking the nation’s major centres of industry and transport to urban and suburban communities.
In 2018, with Ministry of Finance and the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance, Etihad Rail signed the financial agreement on the second stage.
When completed, the freight traffic of UAE’s railway network will be increased from 7 million tonnes to more than 50 million tonnes.
“Railways are very complex, but support economy’s development. Etihad Rail is a project that makes history,” Shadi Malak concluded.
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