The UAE has completed work on its national rail network, which is expected to become a key part of the global supply network. Railway Supply magazine writes this, citing Railway Technology.

UAE

The main line of the UAE National Rail Network extends from Guwayfat on the border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Fujairah.

Since January 2016, the first phase of the National Rail Network has been operating at full capacity. The second phase of the project began in early 2020.

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According to UAE’s national railway network Etihad Rail, 11 contractors, 25 consultants, and 28,000 specialists are involved in the project, which received 40,000 approvals from 180 government agencies. The project included the construction of 593 bridges and crossings of all types besides nine tunnels with a length of 6.5km. With a capacity of 60 million tonnes of goods per annum and over 1,000 multi-purpose vehicles, the region’s modern freight trains fleet consists of 38 locomotives that can run at a speed of up to 120km/h.

Operating under the European ETCS Level 2 signaling system, these trains have been designed to operate in the high temperatures, humidity and geographical conditions of the Persian Gulf region.

The trains will connect four key ports. The network will span seven logistics centers across the country to serve trains and related businesses. In addition, the network will allow investors and customers to ship various types of goods, including petrochemicals, crude steel, limestone, cement, construction materials, industrial and household waste, aluminum, food products and general cargo.

Etihad Rail chairman Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “Emirati talents, with the support of the UAE leadership, have turned the dream of our founding fathers into reality. Thanks to them we won the bet, and we succeeded in launching a railway network with international specifications that extends to about 900km across the Emirates.”

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