UAE set to begin building its first freight railway
$11 billion project linking all seven emirates will be under way by the end of the year
The UAE will next month award the first construction contract for its planned 1,200km freight railtrack, connecting the seven emirates and their ports and factories.
With the Gulf’s major settlements historically relying on sea connections, and recent investment focused on more modern technologies, the local transfer of goods from factories to ports has been confined to trucks on crowded roads.
Mohammed Obaid al-Mazrouie, who helped develop the plan to extend the line from the Indian Ocean to the Iraq border, said: “It’s vital for supporting trade and industry, connecting the region and creating jobs.”
Etihad Rail, established to build the US$11 billion railway will select a lead contractor from 10 local and international bidders in the next two months.
Construction of the first phase – 266km from south-west Abu Dhabi to the harbour at Ruwais – is slated to start by the end of the year, with the first trains due to begin running in early 2013.
A second track will link Abu Dhabi and its new port and industrial zone of Khalifa with Dubai and the port of Jebel Ali, 80km to the north, before connecting with Saudi Arabia and Oman. Work will begin in the second-half next year.
A third line, to be built at the same time, will run from Dubai to the five northern emirates, including Sharjah and Fujairah.
When the double-track network is completed, it will have capacity for 50 million tonnes of cargo a year, including twin-stack containers, on freight trains running at 120kph.
With the Gulf’s major settlements historically relying on sea connections, and recent investment focused on more modern technologies, the local transfer of goods from factories to ports has been confined to trucks on crowded roads.
Mohammed Obaid al-Mazrouie, who helped develop the plan to extend the line from the Indian Ocean to the Iraq border, said: “It’s vital for supporting trade and industry, connecting the region and creating jobs.”
Etihad Rail, established to build the US$11 billion railway will select a lead contractor from 10 local and international bidders in the next two months.
Construction of the first phase – 266km from south-west Abu Dhabi to the harbour at Ruwais – is slated to start by the end of the year, with the first trains due to begin running in early 2013.
A second track will link Abu Dhabi and its new port and industrial zone of Khalifa with Dubai and the port of Jebel Ali, 80km to the north, before connecting with Saudi Arabia and Oman. Work will begin in the second-half next year.
A third line, to be built at the same time, will run from Dubai to the five northern emirates, including Sharjah and Fujairah.
When the double-track network is completed, it will have capacity for 50 million tonnes of cargo a year, including twin-stack containers, on freight trains running at 120kph.
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