ETIHAD Rail, the master-developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network, has awarded a contract to PCM Strescon Overseas Ventures (PCM Strescon) for the provision of railway sleepers.

The Indian-based company will be responsible for the design and manufacturing of railway sleepers as well as the production of the sleeper manufacturing facility for Phase One of the railway network – the 266-km route linking Shah, Habshan and Ruwais in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region.

The award of this contract marks a major milestone for Etihad Rail and comes ahead of the laying of the first tracks for the 1,200-km network in the last quarter of next year.

PCM Strescon, a leading manufacturer of prestressed concrete sleepers, has already set up two factories in Saudi Arabia with the world’s highest production capacities, in addition to supplying more than 2.6 million sleepers to the North-South Railway Project of Saudi Arabian Railways (SAR).

For the Etihad Rail network, PCM Strescon will oversee and manage the design, manufacturing, maintenance and storage of the railway sleepers that will support the network’s tracks, which will carry the trains transporting granulated sulphur (in partnership with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) for export at the port of Ruwais.

Commenting on the award, Etihad Rail CEO Richard Bowker, said: “We look forward to announcing news of further important contract developments over the coming months.”

To be built in phases, Etihad Rail’s Dh40-billion ($10.9 billion) railway project is forecast, over the next two decades, to transport up to 50 million tonnes of freight and 16 million passengers per annum, connecting population centres and opening up channels for trade.