ETIHAD Rail has signed four memorandums of understanding (MoU) with SNCF International, Caterpillar subsidiary Progress Rail, Thales, and Alstom covering areas including operations and maintenance, rolling stock maintenance, stations, and freight operations.
“Our partners play a key role in supporting us to achieve our mission of developing and operating a rail network that incorporates state-of-the-art technologies, and provides safe, sustainable, and reliable solutions,” says Etihad Rail executive director of passenger sector, Mr Ahmed Al Musawa. “Through partnering with some of the biggest names in the rail, freight and transport industries, we assure our clients that we are developing the UAE National Rail Network to the highest international standards, to meet their requirements and support them in meeting their business objectives, driving a sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective supply chain.”
Under the terms of the MoU between Etihad Rail and SNCF International, the two parties will collaborate and explore opportunities in different areas of mutual interest. These areas include rail operation; train maintenance; workshops and training; design, development and operation of rail projects in the UAE; supply and maintenance of rolling stock; integration solutions between different modes of transport; and station services and facilities.
The MoU with Thales provides for the two parties to collaborate on topics that include: new generation train control; ETCS Level 3; driver advisory systems; intelligent traffic operation; asset management; real-time passenger flow monitoring; data-driven operation control centres; video analytics; on-train internet connectivity and passenger entertainment systems; booking and ticketing systems, and integrating different modes of transport.
The MoU with Progress Rail aims to discuss areas of cooperation to support sustainability in the railway industry through potential opportunities for the development and deployment of an autonomous, zero-emissions port-to-port concept, which could serve as the foundation for future rail operations globally.
The agreement between Etihad Rail and Alstom centres on the integration of advanced technologies and services in the railway industry. The two parties will collaborate in areas which include: railway innovations, from incubation to commercialisation, including innovative sustainability in the field of train technology; mobility and integration solutions between various modes of transport; the performance of the railway, and system’s life-cycle performance. Etihad Rail and Alstom will also work collaboratively on a first and last-mile strategy; digitalisation of mobility (MaaS system implementation, logical systems/IT architecture, cybersecurity); testing and commissioning, operation and maintenance; rolling stock configuration and facilities; the development of a learning ecosystem; and fostering local production.
