Friday 10 / May / 2024
Muscat: The rail project linking Oman and the UAE is gathering steam with Oman and Etihad Rail Company, the developer and operator of the railway network connecting the Sultanate of Oman and UAE, inviting contractors to apply for prequalification for tendering of the civil works for the $3 billion mega rail project.
The Invitation to Bid notice was tweeted by Oman Rail on Sunday. The invitation is limited to local companies registered in UAE and/or Oman and to joint ventures/consortium led by local companies registered in the UAE and/or Oman.
Among the other prerequisites, interested companies should have recent experience executing projects of a similar size and nature (earthworks, structures, tunnels, freight facilities, roads and depots, etc.), in particular, design and build experience and on-time completion of projects and the required quality.
The prequalification document will be available from March 13 to 27, 2023, at a non-refundable amount of OMR5,240 or AED50,000 (excluding VAT).
In February 2023, Oman and the Etihad Rail Company had signed a bilateral cooperation deal with Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company to support the development of the 303-kilometre railway network.
Earlier on 23rd February 2023, the UAE National Railway Network was inaugurated in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. UAE national railway network company Etihad Rail had inked an agreement with Oman Rail to establish an equally-owned company to design, develop and operate a trans-border railway network connecting Oman’s Sohar Port to the UAE’s rail network in September 2022. The rail network is expected to bring a new era of connectivity and economic growth for Oman and help the GCC region to become a global logistics centre.
This major joint venture is an extension of the longstanding collaboration of Oman Rail and Etihad Rail, who both seek to create new prospects in the infrastructure, transport, and logistics industries by connecting the two countries via rail.
The two parties aim to unlock new opportunities by strengthening commercial exchange and social cohesion, connecting key urban centers, facilitating travel between communities and providing seamless transport solutions between economic and industrial zones in Oman and the UAE.
The - Oman-Etihad Rail Company - will lay the groundwork and work plan for the project, including its financial mechanisms and schedule. The company will also handle the design, development, and operation of the rail network, which connects Sohar and Abu Dhabi, in line with the standards of the two countries.
The much-anticipated 303-km railway will primarily link Sohar to Abu Dhabi and will feature the best international safety, security, and environmental standards, to provide faster and safer passenger and freight services.
The passenger trains are designed to reduce travel time from Sohar to Abu Dhabi to 1 hour 40 minutes, and from Sohar to Al Ain to 47 minutes, travelling at a maximum speed of 200 km/h. Meanwhile, the freight trains will run up to 120 km/h.
