Los Angeles, California—The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a breakfast on Friday, May 6th in honor of a visiting delegation from Etihad Rail, the national rail company of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Etihad Rail Chairman His Excellency Nasser Al Sowaidi, Vice Chairman His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, and Chief Executive Officer Richard Bowker delivered remarks to senior representatives of U.S. companies with interest in the development of the U.A.E.’s rail infrastructure.
In a formal presentation to the group, Mr. Bowker unveiled the newly branded Etihad Rail, formerly Union Railway, and provided an overview of the company’s progress in the two years since its inception. Etihad Rail, which operates under the U.A.E. National Charter 2021 and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, is a key element of the U.A.E.’s national economic diversification plan and the country’s positioning as a global infrastructure hub. Mr. Bowker noted that Etihad Rail has grown from three employees in 2009 to an operation employing over eighty people today, with plans in place for an Emirati training program to help meet the goals of the country’s “Emiratisation” initiative.
After presenting the corporate accomplishments of Etihad Rail, Mr. Bowker provided key insights into the company’s operations. Phase one of the rail project, connecting the oil and gas fields of Habshan and Ruwais in Abu Dhabi, is well underway and design work has begun on phase two, which will eventually connect Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi with Jebel Ali Port in Dubai.
Mr. Bowker announced that the locomotive and wagon tenders are currently under review and that a final decision will likely be made by the end of June. The tender for the civil construction of phase one has been released and the due date for proposals from interested companies is June 1st. After laying out the timeline of the current tenders, Mr. Bowker underscored the company’s commitment to the delivery of the infrastructure necessary to begin rail operations in 2013 and the importance of creating a rail network that will eventually service the passenger and freight needs of the entire U.A.E.
Following Mr. Bowker’s presentation, attendees were introduced to H.E. Al Sowaidi, Chairman of Etihad Rail and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED), and H.E. Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of Etihad Rail and Chairman and Executive Director of the Road & Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai and given the opportunity discuss the potential for collaboration and partnership. The company’s leadership stressed the importance of an open dialogue between Etihad Rail and potential corporate partners and stressed the company’s commitment to industry best practices.
While in the U.S., the Etihad Rail delegation travelled to several key states to survey infrastructure networks and make strategic site visits. The delegation was supported by the Trade & Commercial Office at the Embassy of the U.A.E. in Washington, D.C. and the Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
