This month, Etihad Rail is expecting the prequalification documents for locomotive and operation and maintenance facility tenders published in December 2018.
On locomotive tender, the prequalification documents must be sent until 17th January. Etihad Rail invited the suppliers to prequalify for the manufacture, supply and commissioning of the locomotives that will operate across the entire railway network. Qualified suppliers must demonstrate that they meet Etihad Rail’s prequalification criteria. The companies should demonstrate they have a min. 15 year-experience in the design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, transport, on-site testing, commissioning and maintenance of the locomotives, according to the minimum standards and recommended practices of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) as demonstrated by achievement of AAR Quality Assurance Certification M-1003, or its equivalent. Also, the manufactured locomotives have to have the ability to operate in extreme coastal and desert environment and to be capable to meet heavy haul operation standards with diesel-electric AC traction and 3000+HP locomotives.
The prequalification documents for operation and maintenance facility contract must be sent until 27th January. At the end of December, Etihad Rail has published the invitation for prequalification on tendering the operation and maintenance facility contract. This involves the second stage of country’s railway network from Tariff to Fujairah, with rail links to Jebel Ali port and Khalifa Port, totaling 605 km. The qualified contractors or JVs can apply for the tender only if they meet the requested criteria. The interested companies must be capable to acquire the requested licenses and accreditation to work in the United Arab Emirates prior contract award; the companies must have a recent experience on the execution of similar and large projects, including (but not limited) earthworks, track works, drainage, building/structures, mechanical and electrical installations, rail depot provisioning, maintenance and equipment overhaul. Also, the interested companies must have design, building and construction experience in railway field.
At the end of November, the Minister of Finance, the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance and Etihad Rail signed an agreement on the financing of the second phase.
Recently, Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities and Etihad Railways signed an agreement for the needed land for country’s railway project.
Currently, Etihad Rail has completed the preliminary design on the Stage Two of country’s railway network. The railway network project is carried out within three stages. When completed, 1,200 km will be the total length of the railway network, extending from the border of Saudi Arabia to the border of Oman and from here, it will have connections within GCC railway network.
In 2015, Etihad Rail launched commercial services on the 264-km railway line linking Shah and Habshan to the port of Ruwais (first stage). It has transported more than 20 million tonnes of sulphur with more than 2,000 trains.
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