ASIA: UAE to Oman railway project promoter Hafeet Rail has awarded Progress Rail a contact to supply 27 EMD SD70ACS diesel locomotives. These will be designed to withstand the desert conditions, with advanced sand filtration systems as well as carbon emission reduction technologies.
‘This partnership reaffirms our commitment to developing and operating a state-of-the-art railway network equipped with cutting-edge heavy-haul freight locomotives that meet international benchmarks’, said Hafeet Rail CEO Ahmad Al Musawa Al Hashmi after the agreement was signed during the inaugural Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi.
‘Additionally, our fleet is tailored to comply with GCC Railway network standards, paving the way for efficient and streamlined freight movement between Oman and the UAE in the future.’
Hafeet Rail has also appointed Systra to provide comprehensive support for the project. The scope of the partnership covers contract management, technical support for managing health, environmental, safety and security standards, overseeing contractors and suppliers, monitoring the project schedule, reviewing engineering designs and supervising construction, testing and commissioning through to the start of operations.
‘Engaging Systra, a globally recognised leader in railway and infrastructure consultancy, as our administrative and engineering consultant marks a pivotal milestone’, said Hafeet Rail board member Ahmed Al Bulushi. ’This partnership guarantees the highest levels of safety and security, in line with international standards. Furthermore, we are dedicated to fostering the development of national talent in both countries by harnessing Systra’s unparalleled expertise and experience.’
Hafeet Rail
Named after the Jebel Hafeet mountain, Hafeet Rail is a joint venture between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and the Mubadala Investment Co state-owned holding group backed by the UAE’s sovereign wealth fund.
Its future 303 km mixed-traffic railway linking the port of Sohar in Oman with Abu Dhabi in the UAE is being designed to carry 2 km long trains of bulk materials, containers, petrochemicals, metal products and industrial goods.
In April the US$1·3bn civil works contract was awarded to a joint venture of Trojan Construction Group of the UAE and Galfar Engineering & Contracting of Oman. A consortium of Siemens Mobility and Hassan Allam Construction was awarded the railway systems and integration contract covering telecoms, power supplies and desert-proofed ETCS Level 2.
