An agreement between Etihad Rail and Dubai Industrial City envisions the construction of a new rail freight terminal in Dubai as part of a comprehensive industrial and logistics hub. The new terminal will offer a capacity of up to 5 million tonnes and cover an area of 5,5 million square metres.

Etihad Rail is UAE’s national railway company. The project’s second partner, Dubai Industrial City, is one of the UAE’s largest industrial and logistics hubs, with many companies located there. The new terminal will bring these companies closer to the country’s railway network and provide better accessibility to ports and airports in the surrounding region.

A mega-project

Etihad Rail is currently undertaking a project of expanding and completing the country’s railway network. In October 2021, the company completed the construction of the line connecting Ruwais with Ghuweifat on the border with Saudi Arabia. In early March 2022, another direct railway line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai was completed, celebrated as a vital rail artery for UAE.

With the network body almost complete, Etihad is currently looking toward building efficient joints that will make it fully functional. The rail freight terminal to be constructed in Dubai reflects that vision. The terminal facilities will have a capacity of 5 million tonnes covering an area of 5,5 million square metres. It will be constructed within the area of the Dubai Industrial City complex, which is a leading industrial and logistics ‘ecosystem’, housing more than 780 companies and 280 factories.

Rail access for all

“The new terminal will be located within Etihad Rail’s network, which runs from Seih Shuaib to Dubai and Sharjah and forms a critical part of Stage Two construction of the UAE National Railway. By integrating Dubai Industrial City into the network, more than 780 companies operating within the industrial hub will benefit from Etihad Rail’s rail solutions”, highlighted the railway company.

“The terminal will strengthen the supply chain and freight logistics services, in line with the UAE’s efforts to develop the country’s transport and logistics sector. With a capacity of 5 million tonnes, the terminal will connect the industrial and manufacturing centres in the UAE, open new trade routes, and support the country’s sustainable development”, commented Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail.

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