Etihad Rail

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Etihad Rail
Headquarters Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Key people Nasser Ahmed Alsowaidi (Chairman)
Mattar Al Tayer (Vice Chairman)
Nasser Saif Al-Mansoori (CEO)
Services Railways
Website www.etihadrail.ae

Etihad Rail, formerly Union Railway, is an enterprise founded in 2010 to develop a national railway network in the United Arab Emirates.[1]

Project

Etihad Rail network
(under construction)
Ruwais ( Future extension to Saudi Arabia )
Mirfa
Tarif
Liwa
Shah ( Future extension to Abu Dhabi )

Etihad Rail is developing a 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) railway network across the United Arab Emirates. The first stage would be a 270 kilometres (170 mi) freight line, linking Ruwais to the Shah gas field, in cooperation with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.[2] Opening is planned for 2013.[3]

A longer mixed-use railway is also planned, crossing the UAE via Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Ajman. Links to Saudi Arabia and Oman are planned.[4]

In the longer term, a dedicated passenger rail link design for speeds up to 200 km/h is being considered between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.[5]

In September 2010 Union Railway sought bids from rolling stock suppliers.[6] In October 2010 the company sought bids from track suppliers.[7] In November 2010, project managers and engineering consultants were appointed.[8][9]

On 26 October 2011, Etihad Rail announced the signing of a 3.3 billion dirham contract with Italian companies Saipem and Tecnimont and regional company Dodsal Engineering & Construction for the design and construction of the 266 kilometres (165 mi) first phase of the railway, linking Habshan with Ruwais and Shah by 2014.[10] In January 2012 the consortium awarded the ETCS Level 2 signalling and telecoms contract to Ansaldo STS.[11]

A second phase is planned, which would connect with other planned lines at Ghweifat (in Saudi Arabia) and Al Aïn (on the border with Oman).[12]

The railway will be standard gauge. Various techniques, including pulse-filtration technology, will be used to mitigate the effects of fine sand.[13]

Organisation

The name was changed from "Union Railway" to "Etihad Rail in March 2011.[14] The brand was created by a UAE based brand consultancy, Brash Brands.[15]

The former CEO was Richard Bowker.[16] Bowker resigned in May 2012, and Hazem Mubarak, previously Etihad Rail’s director of infrastructure, was appointed as interim CEO. On 19 September 2012 Etihad Rail appointed H.E. Dr. Nasser Al Mansoori as the new CEO.

In June 2013, a joint venture was agreed with DB Schenker; the new business, "Etihad Rail DB Operations", will be responsible for operating trains on the network.[17]

Fleet

In July 2011 Etihad Rail ordered seven Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACS diesel locomotives.[4][18] The first two SD70ACS locomotives were unloaded at Mussafah Port in Abu Dhabi in April 2013, and were due to be moved to Mirfa in the Western Region in preparation for the launch of the 266 km Stage One, which will initially carry granulated sulphur from Shah and Habshan for export through the port of Ruwais.[19] The locomotives are painted in a red and grey livery using colours from the UAE flag.[20] Another EMD locomotive had already been delivered to the UAE as a demonstrator.[19]

In September 2011 CSR Corporation Limited won an order to supply 240 covered wagons to carry granulated sulphur.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Union Railway in UAE marks the beginning of an era of long-term investment". Emirates News Agency. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
  2. ↑ 's%20Union%20Railway%20To%20Tap%20Interest%20For%20$11B%20Rail%20Project "UAE's Union Railway To Tap Interest For $11B Rail Project". Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Etihad Rail orders CSR sulphur wagons". Railway Gazette International. 12 September 2011. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Etihad Rail orders EMD locomotives". Railway Gazette International. 1 August 2011. 
  5. ↑ "High speed Dubai to Abu Dhabi rail plan revealed". ArabianSupplyChain.com. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
  6. ↑ "Union Railway begins rolling stock procurement". International Railway Journal. 2010-09-11. Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
  7. ↑ "Union Railway launches Shah Habshan track tenders". International Railway Journal. 2010-10-16. Retrieved 2010-10-16. 
  8. ↑ "UAE: Union Railway appointed a Project Management Consultant". Al Bawaba. 2010-12-11. Retrieved 2010-12-12. 
  9. ↑ "Abu Dhabi contracts". Railways Africa. 19 December2010. Retrieved 2010-12-20. 
  10. ↑ "Etihad Rail awards phase one civils contract". Railway Gazette International. 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
  11. ↑ "Etihad Rail signalling and telecoms contract awarded". Railway Gazette International. 23 January 2012. 
  12. ↑ "Etihad Rail issues Stage Two invitations to tender - Railway Gazette". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 30 July 2012. 
  13. ↑ "From sand to sea". International Railway Journal. 21 March 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012. 
  14. ↑ "Etihad Rail on course to open in 2013". Railway Gazette International. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-24. 
  15. ↑ "Brash Brands creates Etihad Rail brand". Brash Brands. 6 April 2011. 
  16. ↑ "The trainspotter now arriving in the UAE is the late golden boy". The Independent (London). 2009-07-05. Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
  17. ↑ "DB joint venture to operate Etihad Rail freight trains". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 01 July 2013. 
  18. ↑ "US firm to build trains for UAE rail network". Construction Week Online. 1 August 2011. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Etihad Rail takes delivery of EMD locomotives". Railway Gazette International. 10 April 2013. 
  20. ↑ "Livery chosen for Etihad Rail locomotive fleet". International Railway Journal. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012. 

External links

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