Leading global railway experts discussed key issues linked to the sector's safety and security, the future of digital railways and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G technology in the sector at a two-day seminar held in Riyadh.
The 2020 Railway Forum was organised by the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The event concluded its sessions yesterday (January 29).
It drew the participation of an elite group of transport ministers and executives from around the world, as well as experts from international and regional bodies and representatives of local and international companies.
Talal AlAnazi, Director Corporate HSE & Industrial security at Maaden, spoke about security and safety in transportation, explaining that Maaden adopts the concept of improving industrial safety and security, given its importance in the work environment.
"We aspire to move from a culture of ‘research and fix’, in industrial safety and security, to a culture of ‘expectation and prevention of risks before they occur’," he stated.
He referred to the application of Maaden’s "safety steps" initiative, which aims to reduce risks by replacing the culture of "reaction" with a culture of "proactivity" throughout all of the company's business.
Engineer Abdullah Al Yousef, Engineering Support Services Director at SAR, put spotlight on the most important challenges facing the railway sector in the kingdom.
He pointed out that the immaturity and lack of culture in dealing with trains was among the most important of such challenges, drawing attention on the need to work in order to raise awareness about safety, whether for employees and workers in the sector, or the general public.
Al Yousef also highlighted the need to possess engineering and technical solutions, but at the same time deal intelligently with such technology, and employ it in the correct framework.
Kai Taylor, an expert at French multinational technology company Thales, in her address, highlighted the need to invest in youth’s creative energies in transferring technology and making great use of it.
"We will have bright days, if we predict the future, and develop the right technologies, and use them in various sectors, especially transport and communications," she noted.
Taylor also emphasised on the need to have trains reach remote areas, and the use of 5G technology.
Matthias Schubert, Executive VP (Mobility) at TÜV Rheinland Group, said the innovation sector was one of the most important sectors that had made progress in the field of automation.
He pointed at the need to implement the important standards of security and safety in transportation, since it was impossible to sacrifice passenger safety.
Engineer Abdul Jabbar bin Salem, Regional Operations Director Mena Infrastructure at SNC Lavalin, underlined the importance of cyber security in the transport sector and railways, which has become more sophisticated and smarter according to him.
Javier de la Cruz García Dihinx, CAF Rail Digital Services Managing Director, said that digital transformation was an urgent and important issue in the transport and railway sector, through which systems can be integrated with each other.
HyperLoopTT CEO Andres De Leon, spoke about hyperloop trains, explaining that they are fast, human-focused, sustainable, profitable, and have returns, indicating that through them Europe can be interlinked in a few hours.
The 2020 Railway Forum was the first of its kind for the kingdom’s flourishing railway sector. It constituted a unique platform for exploring modern technologies, engaging with experts in the field, and meeting influential figures who are shaping its future, said the organiser SAR.
Participants also discussed the concept of the integration of security and safety elements, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
