Etihad Rail announces advanced rail freight terminal at Dubai Industrial City

Credit: Etihad Rail - Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail and Malek Al Malek, CEO of TECOM Group

Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s National Rail network, and Dubai Industrial City have announced an advanced freight terminal spread across 5.5 million square feet. The terminal will contribute to cementing the UAE’s position as an international trade hub and boost Dubai’s global competitiveness in manufacturing, logistics, transport, trade, and investment. This comes in line with the UAE’s Railways Programme, which aims to facilitate trade by connecting the country’s industrial and manufacturing centres and opening new trade routes. The new terminal at Dubai Industrial City will deliver a major boost to the UAE’s Industrial Strategy, also known as Operation 300bn.

“The terminal will contribute to strengthening the supply chain and freight logistics services, in line with the UAE’s efforts to develop the country’s transport and logistics sector,” Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail, said. “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.”

“Dubai has transformed into a global logistics and industrial hub in recent years, attracting leading regional and international players and enabling them to grow and expand from the emirate,” Malek Al Malek, Director-General of the Dubai Development Authority and CEO of TECOM Group, said. “The addition of rail into the UAE’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and transportation network will strengthen the nation’s leading position as a global trade and logistics hub.”

“The Dubai Industrial City provides advanced infrastructure and a competitive environment which facilitates strategic partnerships and reinforces the sustainability of supply chains,” Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Commercial Officer of TECOM Group, said. “The addition of the station will support the growth of business partners, expand the emirate’s logistical capabilities, and attract more investments in the industrial sector, thus consolidating its position globally.”

The new terminal builds on Dubai Industrial City’s proximity to Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport, which allows hundreds of companies to reach two-thirds of the world’s population in eight hours. It will provide a range of benefits to the 780 business partners in Dubai Industrial City and the surrounding areas, centred around improving efficiencies and reducing costs.

The environmentally friendly terminal will be the newest mode of transport in Dubai and will complete a comprehensive mobility network comprising one of the world’s busiest airports for international travel, the region’s largest port and state-of-the-art infrastructure nationwide.

The UAE National Railway will deliver wider national economic growth through an efficient, sustainable, safe, and cost-effective transportation network. Locomotives on the network are equipped with advanced emission reduction technology to cut carbon emissions by 70-80 per cent. A single freight train can transport the same amount of goods as up to 300 trucks.