AD Ports’ Noatum launches rail service in Middle East

Noatum Logistics, an AD Ports Group company and a logistics provider, announced the launch of its rail logistics solution for the Middle East region.

This was inaugurated with the launch of its first rail shuttle service between Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals, according to an official release from AD Ports Group.

“The shuttle service, which uses the UAE’s national railway developed and operated by Etihad Rail, aims to add significant capacity to the regional logistics network and provide optionality to customers transporting large volumes of overland freight.”

The service will offer weekly departures capable of carrying up to 156 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) or 78 forty-foot equivalent units (FEUs) per direction via a single train, the release added.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group says: The inaugural journey of the first commercial train shuttle from Khalifa Port to Fujairah Terminals is a major milestone for our broader AD Ports Group family, as it delivers on our wise leadership’s vision for boosting the connectivity across the UAE and the broader Middle East region. Serving as a key pillar of our multimodal transport network, the National Railway Network - developed and operated by Etihad Railway - not only links our strategic seaports and inland logistics assets, but also serves as a springboard for our nation’s and the region’s future economic development for generations to come.”

Qusai Kankazar, Deputy Managing Director, Noatum Logistics, Middle East Region, AD Ports Group adds: “We firmly believe in the transformative role that rail can play in providing our customers with a transport alternative that delivers on their key priorities, including cost-effectiveness, scalability, reliability and environmental sustainability. By combining the best of what rail and trucking can offer, we are creating a win-win solution that benefits all market participants across our regional logistics network.”

Depending on regional demand dynamics, Noatum Logistics will be able to increase the number of weekly departures for the Khalifa Port to Fujairah Terminals leg and launch new shuttle services across the broader regional rail network, the release added.