This step comes after the company announced this week that it had obtained bank financing worth $1.5 billion, from Emirati and Omani banks, with contributions from regional and international banks, with the aim of financing the first cross-border railway network project between the Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman, which has a total cost of $2.5 billion.
According to a statement from the company reported by “WAM”, the agreement with “Progress RealAccordingly, 27 modern SD70ACS locomotives will be designed and manufactured, specifically to suit the geographical and climatic nature of the region and in line with the highest international standards for safety, security, sustainability and environmental protection.
The CEO of Hafeet Rail Company, Ahmed Al-Masawa Al-Hashimi, said: “This agreement comes within the framework of our commitment to design and operate an advanced railway network equipped with the best types of locomotives designated for freight in accordance with the highest international standards. We are also keen to align the joint network’s fleet of locomotives with the standards of the GCC railway network.” Gulf cooperation to ensure the smooth and easy flow of operational operations and transport of goods between the two countries in the future.”
Al Hashemi added: “The agreement is consistent with our goals aimed at providing competitive services for transporting goods through the joint network to contribute to facilitating trade at the regional level, and opening new horizons in the infrastructure, transport and logistics sectors in the two countries, as well as diversifying the national economy and achieving sustainable development in them.” .
For his part, John Newman, CEO of Progress Rail, said: “The Gulf Cooperation Council countries enjoy an important geographical, economic and financial position on the global level, and the United Arab Emirates is a major contributor to strengthening this position and continuing the growth of the region. We are proud to have been chosen to work with Hafeet Railways “to contribute to strengthening the connection between Oman and the Emirates, and this partnership comes within the framework of our continuing efforts to strengthen relations and cooperation with our partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and enhance our presence in the region by signing investment contracts that include providing products, advanced technology, expertise, competencies and practicality.”
The new fleet of the joint network will have many advantages, including huge powerful engines capable of pulling various types of vehicles, which in turn will transport various goods, including bulk goods, containers, petrochemicals, mineral products, and various other industrial materials, via trains, one of which is about two kilometers long.
The locomotives will contribute to ensuring the smooth, safe and secure movement of trains across the Omani-Emirati railway network, and providing safe and efficient transport services linking the two countries, to meet the requirements of Hafeet Trains customers. The 27 locomotives feature advanced filtration technologies, including a pulse filtration system and a sand filtration system, in addition to carbon emissions reduction technologies, which is in line with Hafeet Trains’ efforts to contribute to achieving environmental sustainability and reducing carbon emissions.
The signing of the contract to supply the new fleet of locomotives follows the award of the main contracts and contracts for the systems and technologies used in the project and the launch of the preparatory work for establishing the Omani-Emirati railway network, and this comes to confirm the commitment of “Hafeet Trains“By accelerating its steps towards completing the first railway connection project in the Arabian Gulf region.
