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Read Full Issue The Oman and Etihad Rail Company (OERC) is calling for bids for freight facilities and stations for the upcoming railway network connecting Oman and UAE , which will connect Sohar in Oman to Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Trade Arabia reports. OERC, the railway’s developer and operator, has invited specialized contractors to prequalify for the tendering of freight facilities, depot, and passenger stations. Prequalification documents will be available on Oman’s e-Payment Services Gateway until 24 August.
Criteria: The bid is open for companies in Oman and the UAE, as well as consortiums led by either an Omani or Emirati firm, Trade Arabia reports. The bidding companies also need to have a recent track record in successfully completing comparable projects, such as rail freight facilities, passenger stations, and maintenance depots.
About OERC: Etihad Rail and Oman Rail signed an agreement late last year to create The Oman and Etihad Rail Company. The entity is co-owned by Oman and the UAE’s governments and has USD 3 bn in capital slated for the design, development, and operation of railways linking Oman’s Sohar Port with the UAE’s national railway network. The transport link between the UAE and Oman, first announced in September, is aimed at bolstering trade between the two countries and the region. The rail line will serve both passenger and freight trains.The 303 km railway track will extend from Sohar to Abu Dhabi and will be connected to the UAE National Rail Network and its stations across the UAE. Freight trains will operate at speeds of up to 120 km/h.
Timeline: The engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the project is expected to be awarded by the end of this year or early next year, Oman’s Transport Minister Saeed bin Hamoud al Maawali said recently, according to Zawya. On-ground construction is projected to begin approximately a year after the EPC contract is finalized, according to al Maawali. Oman is also actively engaged in a railway project linking with Saudi Arabia, he added.
