HALA AL KHAYYAT (ABU DHABI)
Etihad Rail is working on developing the company’s first strategy concerned with environmental and social governance to ensure that the classification requirements are met, and is committed to implementing the highest standards for preserving the environment at all stages of the development of the transport network.
Etihad Rail is the first land transport system linking various cities and regions of the Emirates from Al Ghuwaifat to Fujairah, which contributes to the development of a comprehensive and integrated transport system that opens horizons for development and provides economic opportunities worth up to Dh200 billion.
In an interview with Aletihad, Azza Al Suwaidi, Head of Right-of-Way Department at Etihad Rail Company, said: “The national railway programme consolidates the UAE’s global superiority in the logistical field, as the Etihad freight train connects four major ports, and includes the construction of seven logistics centres in the country. The volume of goods transported will reach 60 million tonnes in 2030, which will reduce transport costs by 30%, and save Dh8 billion in road maintenance, while the passenger train will transport 36.5 million passengers annually by 2030.”
Last February, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, witnessed the inauguration of the UAE National Railway Network, and announced the launch of freight train operations at the main control and maintenance centre in Al Fayah region in Abu Dhabi, she noted.
“The people of the Emirates turned the dream of the founding fathers into reality according to the approved schedule and cost at the hands of 28,000 specialists and workers in the course of 133 million working hours, after obtaining 40,000 approvals from 180 government agencies,” Al Suwaidi said.
She highlighted that this “important achievement is a starting point for promising economic opportunities, revolutionising the infrastructure, transport and logistics sectors, and enhancing trade within the country”.
“Etihad Rail operates a safe, sustainable, highly efficient and cost-effective UAE national railway network, providing innovative solutions to existing and potential customers, and providing them with access to all parts of the UAE and the Arab Gulf region,” she added.
Al Suwaidi noted that the network will contribute to significantly strengthening the transport and logistics sectors in the UAE, by linking ports, industrial and population centres, manufacturing and production points, and providing safe transport connectivity options between the Emirates and the region.
“Companies will be able to utilise their time and resources efficiently. This will also enable them to redirect their assets and achieve further growth with Etihad Rail, reducing the overall cost of their business operations. We are also working to stimulate the emergence of new sectors and industries by creating a completely new transportation system, considering the network as a complementary element to the country’s existing infrastructure,” she said.
Promising Economic Opportunities
The network is expected to create economic opportunities worth up to Dh200 billion, including saving Dh11 billion in travel time, costs and the distance between stations, reducing the cost resulting from accidents by about Dh22 billion, and achieving broader economic benefits worth Dh23 billion by facilitating the arrival of goods and enhancing productivity, according to Al Suwaidi.
“We also expect the estimated benefits from providing road maintenance to reach Dh8 billion,” she added.
The network also ensures the provision of a wide range of social benefits by linking remote areas to cities and improving connectivity, and achieving broader economic benefits to these areas, by empowering the community and providing better mobility options for individuals, the official noted.
“There is also value in the time saved, as you reduce road delays caused by trucks, cars, buses and taxis. Etihad Rail will provide a wide range of advanced advantages that include providing faster, safer, more reliable, sustainable and less expensive services, taking into account the environment surrounding the network route compared with the means of transport currently used in the UAE,’’ she said.
The UAE national railway network allows goods to be transported in a more sustainable way, with an annual capacity of up to 60 million tonnes of goods by 2030, as each train trip is equivalent to up to 300 truck loads, she added.
Furthermore, the company also provides a variety of logistics solutions to investors and customers, including the bulk and industrial construction materials and container handling sectors.
National Workforce
Etihad Rail is keen to support Emirati citizens and enhance their presence in the railway sector, in line with government directions to consolidate the contribution of the national workforce in various sectors of work.
Etihad Rail invests in Emirati competencies and in developing the skills of the next generation of Emirati citizens to become experts and leaders in the railway sector, and contribute to the development and operation of the Emirati national railway project, Al Suwaidi said.
She pointed out that in 2017, the company launched the first railway diploma of its kind in the country, spanning a course of three years, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute. This strategic cooperation represents a pioneering step in promoting technological innovation and consolidating the role of the nation’s youth in achieving sustainability.
“The company’s keenness to qualify new generations of national workforce capable of leading the sector in the future by providing them with scientific knowledge and skills constitute a qualitative addition to our competency and experience base,” she noted.
“The company implements the UAE’s efforts to expand the job pool that attracts UAE citizens, of both genders, and is also keen to adhere to the directives of the wise leadership aimed at enhancing women’s participation and empowerment in various sectors, as the company employs Emirati women in its various departments,” she added.
“Today we have the first female train driver and the first Emirati female train controller. We are working to provide the company with qualified and trained national workforce. The company seeks to employ new Emirati graduates, as it offers them great opportunities to develop their technical and commercial skills in leading the company," she said.
Environmental Guidelines
Regarding the environmental value of the project and its role in reducing carbon emissions and achieving climate neutrality goals, Al Suwaidi stated: “Etihad Rail is constantly and carefully studying various potential influencing factors in the construction and operation of the railway network, including environmental laws, local authority regulations, addressing obstacles, and public health factors.”
“This is to ensure the highest quality of facilities, maintain efficiency, and streamline traffic,” she said.
Al Suwaidi pointed out that the company has developed a comprehensive set of standards and guidelines to ensure that all contractors adhere to a unified, consistent and acceptable level of environmental performance to protect the environment surrounding the railway, based on the company’s keenness for its locomotives to meet international standards for emission levels from engines.
“This will undoubtedly have a tangible impact in reducing the environmental impact; by monitoring and reducing exhaust emissions, as well as controlling nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, particulate matter and carbon monoxide levels, thus reducing pollution.”
Al Suwaidi also mentioned that the company is working to benefit from innovative transport solutions and cooperate with leading technology companies that provide environmentally friendly solutions.
“The company will continue to follow and experiment with other modern technologies and focus on technologies that combine reliability, sustainability, speed of access to markets and improving its competitive capabilities, in line with our commitment to reduce carbon emissions in the country’s land transport sector by 21% by 2050, in addition to reducing 8 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually by 2050 and up to 300 trucks off the road for each train trip,’’ she said.