Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI): Hafeet Rail, a joint venture between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and Mubadala Investment Company, said 40 percent of the work on the $3 billion railway network connecting Oman and the UAE has been completed.

The 238km railway line will connect the Sohar Port free zone in north-eastern Oman to the UAE rail network and will include two 2.5km tunnels and 36 bridges.

Construction work is continuing at an “accelerated pace” in several locations along the project route, including Al Ain, Al Buraimi, Wadi Al Jizzi and Sohar, the state-run Oman News Agency said.

The route passes through urban and industrial areas, mountainous terrain and deep valleys, requiring large-scale excavation work and the construction of bridges, tunnels and integrated systems to protect against flood risks.

Excavation and backfilling work is currently underway, with 27 million cubic metres of earthworks completed and concrete work exceeding 100,000 cubic meters, in parallel with tunnel excavation progressing through the implementation phases.

The UAE’s Etihad Rail and Oman Rail, part of Asyad Group, launched the Oman and Etihad Rail Company – now rebranded as Hafeet Rail – in 2022.

Freight trains will transport more than 25,000 tonnes of general cargo in a single trip, reducing carbon emissions by 10 times compared to other transport modes.