Etihad Rail signs partnership with top quarry Stevin Rock
DUBAI
SHARE
Etihad Rail, the developer of the UAE’s national railway network, has signed an agreement with Stevin Rock, one of the world's largest quarrying companies based in Ras Al Khaimah, for the transport of raw materials from the northern emirate to Abu Dhabi.
This agreement is of considerable significance as it is a first in a series of commercial agreements for Stage Two of the UAE National Rail Network, which sees major organisations based in the UAE connected throughout the emirates, via Etihad Rail’s highly anticipated national railway network, said the statement from Etihad Rail.
The Stage Two stretches over 605 km from Al Ghuwaifat on the UAE’s border with Saudi Arabia in the west to the port of Fujairah on the eastern coast.
As per the deal, an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of construction material will be carried annually from Stevin Rock’s Al Ghail quarry in Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi, through 500 annual train trips.
Each train will measure one kilometre in length, hauling 70 wagons that will have a carrying capacity of 7,000 tonnes per journey. The agreement will have significant environmental benefits, with an annual reduction of 100,000 truck trips, it added.
The agreement was signed by Etihad Rail CEO Shadi Malak and Stevin Rock General Manager Engineer Naser Bustami in the presence of HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and other senior officials from both organisations.
Commenting on the deal, Malak said: "By connecting with quarries in the northern emirates, Etihad Rail will ensure faster and more cost-effective delivery of construction materials, which in turn, will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions by decreasing truck movement on the roads, supporting our overall ethos of a sustainable future and the UAE’s wider sustainability targets."
Stevin Rock, he stated, was one of the largest companies in the global quarrying sector. "As a primary company that has signed an agreement with us, they will benefit from the integrated transport solutions Stage Two of the project provides upon completion," he noted.
"Stevin Rock will be one of the first to witness the benefits associated with the interconnectivity that Etihad Rail will establish within the emirates, transporting their products from Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi’s logistics hub, the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD), in addition to the benefits corresponding with the future planned wider GCC network, which will offer new business opportunities to enhance operations and business models of potential customers," he added.
On the partnership, Bustami said: "Stevin Rock is proud to have reached an agreement with Etihad Rail that will provide a sustainable alternative to road transport, contributing significantly to our continuous efforts to reduce its carbon footprint."
"Moreover, rail transport will allow us to be more competitive on pricing our products in Abu Dhabi." he stated.
"The national rail network will mark a milestone in the development and prosperity of Ras Al Khaimah and the entire UAE, playing an active role in advancing sustainable development across the country," he added.-
