German rail outfit plans UAE venture

Deutsche Bahn is planning to enter into a strategic partnership for the planning, construction and operation of rail systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A corresponding Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Abu Dhabi yesterday at a ceremony attended by Peter Ramsauer, Federal Minister of Transport, His Excellency Abdullah Al Masaood, chairman of the Al Masaood Group, Rüdiger Grube, chairman of the management board and CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG, and Martin Bay, chairman of the management board of DB International GmbH.

Ramsauer pledged support for the United Arab Emirates in the setting up of modern, high-capacity rail infrastructure.

Investments in major rail systems running into billions are planned for this region over the next few years. They include projects for regional transport, a metro, tram services and the Union Railway, a planned long-distance line that will link Abu Dhabi with the southern emirates.

Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the emirate of the same name and also the capital of the UAE Federation, which consists of seven emirates.

The Al Masaood Group, one of the leading industrial corporations in the UAE, already cooperates with many major German companies in the execution of logistics and transport systems.

With the help of DB, it is now planning to gain a foothold in the rail sector.

Bay said DB International has been doing business in the UAE for five years and was familiar with the region.

“For instance, we conducted the conceptual studies for the Union Railway and also planned a tram system for the district of Al Raha Beach. Accordingly, we see immense potential for our future activities in this growing market,” he said.

 
(Source: Cargo News Asia)