With new locomotives procurement, Etihad Rail’s fleet will swell to 45
The Board of Directors of Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway, has awarded a contract for the supply of locomotives for the UAE’s nationwide rail network to Progress Rail Locomotive, a Caterpillar company, expanding the company’s fleet to 45 locomotives, which is equivalent to 6 times the current fleet consisting of 7 locomotives.
In the presence of HE Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Member of the Executive Council, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court and Chairman of Etihad Rail, the contract was signed by Shadi Malak, CEO, Etihad Rail, and Ramzi Imad, Progress Rail’s Regional Director of International Sales for North Africa and Middle East.
“In the year of “The cutting-edge fleet of locomotives will raise the bar in the transportation system and logistics services in the country and increase the network’s annual capacity to more than 60 million tons, compared to the current annual capacity of approximately 7.2 million tons,” asserted HE Sheikh Theyab on the occasion.
Etihad Rail contracted Progress Rail, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of diesel-electric locomotives, to design, manufacture, test, and ship 38 EMD locomotives especially designed to withstand the high temperatures and humidity of the gulf region.
Additionally, the locomotives fleet will be equipped with highly developed air filtration system that filters sand from the air intake and pulse cleaning systems, ensuring effective and efficient operations while passing through desert areas.
The locomotives feature powerful motors and will be supported by advanced emission reduction technology, reducing carbon emissions by 70-80%. The locomotives are designed to haul a 100-wagon train, which can replace 5,600 on-road truck trips per day.
The agreement increases the fleet of Etihad Rail to 45 heavy 4,500 HP locomotives, which are among the most powerful locomotives in the region. Since Etihad Rail became operational in 2016, the company’s current fleet of 7 locomotives has contributed to decreasing the number of truck trips on the roads of Al Dhafrah by more than one million, with up to 28 million tons of granulated sulphur transported from sources at Shah and Habshan to the processing and export point at Ruwais.
The signing of the contract follows the awarding of all civil works contracts for Stage Two of the national railway network, the launch of construction works of Package A of Stage Two, and the award of a contract to build a series of freight facilities for the rail network, underlining the company’s consistent and strong performance to complete one of the biggest and most important infrastructural projects in the country.
