The new terminal will enable the more efficient transfer of containerised freight arriving at the port, bringing substantial benefits to logistics companies and the UAE economy as a whole, Etihad Rail said.

According to a report in Al Arabiya News, DP World has earmarked a strategic site for the intermodal rail terminal, adjacent to Jebel Ali Maritime Terminal 1 and close to Terminal 2.

DP World will oversee the building and operation of the loading and unloading facilities at the terminal, while Etihad Rail will construct and own the railway infrastructure and manage the rail services to and from the terminal.

“This important MoU with DP World is a key milestone in securing Jebel Ali Port as an integral part of the Etihad Rail network and represents a significant step forward in the network’s overall development,” Etihad Rail Chairman Nasser al-Sowaidi said.

“With state of the art facilities at Jebel Ali, able to serve the largest vessels in the world, supported by the latest e-trade technology and the Dubai Logistics Corridor linked to the Dubai World Central airport, Jebel Ali will be fully multimodal, connecting sea-road-rail-air,” said DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

Each Etihad Rail train will carry up to 260 TEU, removing at least 130 trucks from the roads. By 2030, it is anticipated that the Jebel Ali intermodal rail terminal will have a capacity to handle the transfer of 5M TEU per annum.

Upon completion, the Etihad Rail network will span a total of 1,200 km across the Emirates and form a vital part of the GCC Railway Network linking the UAE to Saudi Arabia via Ghweifat in the west and Oman via Al Ain in the east.