The board of Etihad Rail has approved a AED4.6 billion ($1.25 billion) tender for the civil works and construction of Package D of stage two of the UAE’s national railway, which will stretch over 145km.
Stage D will connect key ports in Fujairah and Khorfakkan to manufacturing, production and population centres at the Dubai border with Sharjah, enabling transportation of up to 2 million containers per year, and promoting international trade, according to a tweet by Abu Dhabi Government Media Office.
The contract has been awarded to a joint venture of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and National Projects and Construction (NPC).
Etihad Rail chairman Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed said: “The awarding of this contract is a highly significant achievement as Etihad Rail follows its path to progressing one of the most important and economically strategic projects in the UAE.
“While expanding a vital sector that constitutes the lifeline of our national economy, we continue to provide a safe, modern, and sustainable national railway network that meets the aspirations and expectations of our nation and its leaders, supporting the UAE’s position as a major link in the regional and global supply chain, and as a key player in the logistics system.”
The latest contract comes a few months after Etihad Rail awarded the contracts for civil and track works of Packages B and C for stage two of the UAE network to China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting Company.
Package B runs for 216km and Package C for 94km and link Khalifa Port, Khalifa Industrial City (Kizad), and Jebel Ali Port along a distance of 310km.
Etihad Rail had previously awarded Package A to a consortium of the China State Construction Engineering Corporation and South Korea’s SK Engineering and Construction.
Stage one of the network has been completed and is now fully operational having been delivered on schedule and within budget. The route spans 264km, transporting sulfur from sources at Shah and Habshan to the export point at Ruwais.
The rail network is a combination of freight and passenger lines which extends around 1,200km and has nearly 40 railway facilities – logistics sites for freight, passenger stations, stabling and maintenance depots.
On completion in 2024, the network will link Saudi Arabia to the UAE and Oman.
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