Developer and operator of the UAE’s multi-billion dollar fully integrated national railway network, Etihad Rail, since commencing Stage One operations, has transported 10 million tonnes of granulated sulphur for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) from sources at Shah and Habshan to its point of export at Ruwais.
Since having received approval for commercial operations from the Federal Transport Authoritys (FTA) Land and Maritime in December 2015, two trains move along the Stage One network daily under the current timetable, each carrying up to 11,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur.
To date, the monthly average tonnage of sulphur transported stands at 410,000 tonnes, with the seven million tonnes mark having been surpassed at the end of August 2016.
Faris Saif Al Mazrouei, the chief executive of Etihad Rail, said: The Etihad Rail project is emblematic of our zest for sustainable development, fostering innovation, and unsurpassed commitment toward revolutionising the UAEs socio-economic landscape.
The 1,200-km-long Etihad Rail network is part of the governments plans to invest in excellent transport infrastructure, with the aim being to further strengthen the UAEs position as a leading logistics hub, facilitating connectivity between trading partners in the region and beyond, through integration with key ports of the Gulf and Arabian seas.
Stretching a distance of 264-km, Stage One links the sulphur sources of Shah and Habshan to the export point of Ruwais via the Mirfa depot.
Built to international standards, Stage One utilises seven state-of-the-art locomotives from US-based Electro-Motive Diesel, with wagons supplied by Chinas CSR Corporation.