Muscat – In a new development towards building Oman-UAE Rail Network, Oman-Etihad Rail Company – a joint venture (JV) between the sultanate’s Oman Rail and the UAE’s Etihad Rail – has invited pre-qualification bids for the construction of passenger stations, freight facilities, and depot for the railway project connecting Sohar Port with the UAE National Rail Network.

Specialised contractors have been invited to apply for pre-qualification for the tendering of the freight facilities, depot, and passenger station works of the project in the two countries, according to a tender announcement issued by Oman-Etihad Rail Company.

As per the tender document, to apply for pre-qualification, the potential contractors must demonstrate individually or in a JV/consortium that they have the necessary resources and required expertise to meet the requirements.

The requirements include the contractor being a local company or a JV/consortium led by a local company registered in the UAE or Oman, as applicable, to deliver the package(s) in the relevant country. The contractor should also have recent experience executing projects of a similar size and nature (such as rail freight facilities, rail passenger stations, and rail maintenance depots, etc.). In particular, the applicant contractor must have experience in design, build, and construction in a railway environment for on-time completion to the required quality.

The pre-qualification documents will be available for purchase and downloading through an e-Payment Services Gateway from August 13, 2023, to August 27, 2023, the announcement said.

Earlier in March, Oman-Etihad Rail Company launched a pre-qualification tender for the civil works of the railway network, inviting specialised contractors to apply for the pre-qualification of civil works tender.

Oman-Etihad Rail Company is responsible for designing, building, and operating the railway network that connects Sohar Port with the UAE National Rail Network. The railway track will extend for 303km from Sohar to Abu Dhabi. It will be connected to the UAE National Rail Network and its stations across the country.

The joint railway network is expected to drive the growth of the national economy in both countries. It will also improve supply chain efficiency and facilitate cross-border trade by linking commercial ports to the railway network.

The joint railway network will provide freight and passenger transport services. Passenger trains will reach 200 km/hour speed, running between Sohar and Abu Dhabi in 100 minutes, and between Sohar and Al Ain in 47 minutes. Freight trains will run up to 120 km/hour.