UAE Hyperloop now a step closer to reality after US Congress ruling
Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 10 minutes thanks to 1,200-km/h speed tunnel
Dubai: Hyperloop – the futuristic high-speed transport system – is one step away from becoming a reality after the US Congress passed a legislation forming a regulatory framework for its safe deployment.
Hyperloop is a futuristic mode of vacuum tube-based transport, resembling a train but traveling at the speed of a jet aircraft. It can deliver freight and move people from point to point at a top speed of 1,200 k/ph - that means travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi can be reduced to mere 10 minutes.
DP World, the Dubai-based provider of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain logistics and the largest investor in Virgin Hyperloop, has lauded the recent decision by the US House of Representatives as the Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council is expected to issue guidance within the next six months to help set out a clear regulatory framework for the industry.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Sultan Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World and Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop, said: “We are excited to see this revolutionary vision becoming part of the future of transportation, as much as we are confident that Virgin Hyperloop will take a leap forward and deliver on a 21st century transportation solution.
“The decision is a huge vote of confidence that we are all on the right side of history. The move, which brings hyperloop systems one major step closer to reality, validates our decision to take this technology seriously and support this innovation,” he underlined.
DP World launched the ‘DP World Cargospeed’ international brand in 2018 as a joint venutre between DP World and Virgin Hyperloop and the latter has also been engaging with governments in the region including UAE, Saudi Arabia and India.
“This month, Virgin Hyperloop signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) to initiate a collaborative approach to research and innovation... Our aim is to be a catalyst for global adoption and expansion of this new mode of transportation that will be faster, safer, cheaper, and more sustainable than other existing modes”, Bin Sulayem noted
Virgin Hyperloop is based in California, USA. It has raised more than $400 million (Dh1.46 billion ) in investments, including funds from DP World.
Jay Walder, Virgin Hyperloop CEO, said: “DP World has been a key enabler of developing this technology for deployment, and the inclusion of hyperloop transportation in this legislation is a great moment in history for us and for DP World.”
He added Hyperloop will expand freight transportation capacity by connecting with existing modes of road, rail, ports, and air transport, and will provide greater connectivity with manufacturing parks, economic zones, distribution centres and regional urban centres.