Etihad Rail launches campaign to shift heavy cargo from roads to railways

Abu Dhabi: Etihad Rail has launched a national awareness campaign to encourage logistics providers, manufacturers, and heavy industry sectors to adopt rail freight for long-distance cargo transport instead of relying on other land transport modes.

Omar Al Subaie, Acting Executive Director of Freight Services at Etihad Rail, said: “For heavy industries, logistics is no longer measured by speed alone — reliability has become a key factor in operational success. Delays, congestion, and inconsistent performance drive up operating costs. Rail freight offers a practical solution to these challenges, delivering operational efficiency, high reliability, and predictability, ensuring sustainable and consistent performance day after day.”

 Al Subaie added: “While rail transport plays a vital role in moving goods and bulk materials of all kinds over long distances — helping reduce road congestion and enabling trucks to operate more efficiently within their optimal scope — other land transport modes will continue to be necessary, particularly for last-mile and short-distance deliveries. This integration will enhance the overall performance of the UAE’s transport ecosystem.”

He continued: “The UAE has invested in a national railway network designed to support the country’s growth for decades to come, not just the short term. Through this campaign, we aim to ensure that the entire industrial sector benefits from this investment. Rail freight is efficient, reliable, and ready to scale.”

The campaign highlights the active role of rail freight in enabling companies — especially early adopters — to stabilize transport costs, reduce safety stock levels, and plan production with greater confidence. This improves operational reliability and allows companies to scale without placing additional pressure on road networks, a benefit that becomes even more significant as production volumes grow. Etihad Rail Freight Services affirms that the campaign primarily seeks to rebalance the logistics system across various land transport modes in a way that serves the national transport sector.

Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network, announced the completion of linking the Abu Dhabi Industrial City (ICAD) rail freight terminal — the largest rail freight station in the country — to the UAE national railway network. The company has finalized laying tracks along the route extending from the UAE–Saudi Arabia border to Fujairah Port on the eastern coast, passing through key cities, industrial hubs, and commercial centers.

The connection was completed through the construction of railway bridges intersecting with the Ghuwaifat International Highway, installation of rail tracks, and successful testing of the new route. This achievement aligns with the objectives of the National Rail Programme — the largest land transport system of its kind across the Emirates — aimed at connecting the country’s cities by rail and accelerating comprehensive development.

Upon completion and operation of Phase Two of the Etihad Rail project, freight trains will provide logistical support services from the ICAD rail freight terminal in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s industrial zone, a key hub for industrial companies in the region.

Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Executive Director of the Rail Affairs Sector at Etihad Rail, said: “The completion of the route linking the ICAD rail freight terminal with the Etihad Rail mainline places us in a state of readiness to begin providing logistical support to our customers by connecting the capital, Abu Dhabi, with various industrial centers and export points across the country. This marks another exceptional step toward delivering an integrated transport network that connects industrial and production centers — inside and outside industrial zones — with freight terminals and ports across the UAE. It represents a qualitative leap in the transport ecosystem, reflecting ICAD’s strategic location and its integration with the largest inland rail freight terminal in the country.”

He added: “We are proud of this achievement, which supports our efforts to encourage companies to restructure their logistics operations and benefit from rail by reducing costs, improving efficiency, and transporting goods more safely. This is reflected in commercial agreements signed with leading companies in the UAE such as Stevin Rock, Western Bainoona Group, and Al Ghurair Iron & Steel. These developments will positively impact end users, reduce pressure on roads and maintenance costs, keep pace with the country’s sustainable economic growth across sectors, and create promising economic opportunities in industry, trade, the environment, and beyond.”

Etihad Rail is developing the largest inland rail freight terminal in the country at Abu Dhabi Industrial City (ICAD), spanning more than 2.7 million square feet. The facility will include over 22 operational support buildings and handle approximately nine trains per day.

The terminal will facilitate the movement and distribution of goods across the UAE and GCC countries, linking quarries in northern Emirates with industrial centers in Mussafah, as well as connecting Ruwais and Khalifa Port, and container handling companies in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port.

The freight terminal will serve as a logistics services hub for heavy industries, ensuring the smooth delivery of raw materials and machinery to manufacturers, while facilitating access to core trade infrastructure such as ports. The facility will also provide customs services, enhancing the competitiveness of tenants in Abu Dhabi Industrial City (ICAD).

Operating 24/7, the terminal will offer companies competitive advantages alongside high levels of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability in transport. It has the capacity to handle around 15 million tonnes of bulk raw materials, 1.5 million tonnes of general cargo, and approximately 116,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEUs) annually.