Hafeet Rail Company (Hafeet Rail), a joint venture project between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail, and Mubadala Investment, has completed 40% of the total infrastructural work between the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE.
Hafeet Rail covers a distance of 238 kilometers, with the aim of developing a transportation system that will further deepen the economic integration between the two Middle Eastern countries. The project’s key infrastructural components include 2,500-meter-long tunnels, 36 viaducts, 21 over-bridges, 39 underpasses, and 881 culverts.
“Construction work is continuing at an accelerated pace at several strategic locations along the routes, such as Al Ain, Buraimi, Wadi al Jazi, and Suhar,” Hafeet Rail Company noted.
Given the fact that the route passes through urban and industrial areas, mountainous terrain, and deep valleys, the venture is deploying specialized engineering solutions, including large-scale excavation and the implementation of large engineering facilities such as bridges and tunnels, in addition to integrated flood protection systems, to ensure the system operates in a safe and sustainable manner.
Apart from connecting more than 12 passenger stations and cities across the two countries, the project will also link five major ports and more than 15 integrated freight facilities. While work has been ongoing in regions like Al Ain, Al Buraimi, Wadi Al Jizzi, and Suhar, significant excavation and backfilling works have been undertaken, totalling approximately 27 million cubic meters, in addition to over 100,000 cubic meters of concrete work.
As per the authorities, the project has achieved over 10 million safe work hours without any serious injuries, reflecting a commitment to safety and quality standards.
“The project also includes the construction of 60 bridges, some reaching heights of up to 34 meters, along with tunnels totalling approximately 2.5 kilometers in length, all within an infrastructure designed for the efficient transport of heavy goods,” Hafeet Rail Company said.
Sohar Port, a deep-sea port in the Sultanate of Oman, located midway between Muscat and Dubai, along with its surrounding industrial zone, is expected to be among the project’s primary beneficiaries.
The rail link will reduce the time required to transport goods to Gulf markets, enhancing the port’s attractiveness as a regional logistics hub. It is also expected to attract new industrial investments to the Omani regions like Al Buraimi and Suhar and adjacent economic zones, particularly in domains like heavy and light industries and storage and distribution centers.
While the Hafeet Rail project will attract investments to the construction, engineering, and logistics sectors of both Oman and the UAE, it will also support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by expanding their participation opportunities in the project’s supply chains and services.
“The project will also enhance the competitiveness of local products by facilitating import, export, and distribution processes, thereby increasing the competitiveness of Omani companies in regional and global markets,” Hafeet Rail Company concluded.