Etihad Rail marks milestone as first freight delivery of cars completed in UAE

Etihad Rail has carried out the UAE's first commercial transportation of cars by rail, from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi, in what is being hailed as a milestone moment in the growth of its freight network.

The national rail operator teamed up with leading vehicle dealership Al Masaood Automobiles, to carry a consignment of Nissan vehicles between the Emirates.

Al Masaood Automobile is the authorised distributor for Nissan, Infiniti and Renault in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

Omar Al Sebeyi, chief executive of Etihad Rail Freight, said the historic journey highlights the continued expansion of Etihad Rail freight beyond bulk commodities into high-value, diversified cargo.

“This milestone demonstrates exactly what rail freight is designed to do: offer a reliable, predictable, and scalable solution that integrates seamlessly into existing supply chains," he added.

"The UAE’s national rail network was built to strengthen the resilience and efficiency of the country’s logistics sector, and today we are seeing that ambition translate into real-world impact.

"We look forward to building on this partnership and enabling more businesses across the UAE to benefit from rail.”

Transport plans gather pace

The freight network stretches from the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah, with trains carrying loads such as aggregates, petrochemicals and polymers, and general cargo.

Irfan Tansel, chief executive of Al Masaood Automobiles, said, said the successful delivery demonstrated the benefits of national infrastructure projects working side by side with private sector companies.

Every part of the customer journey matters, including how reliably and efficiently a vehicle reaches its owner," he said.

"This initiative reflects the steps we are taking behind the scenes to strengthen that experience. We are proud to be the first automotive dealer in the UAE to work with Etihad Rail Freight on transporting finished vehicles.

"It is a strong example of what can be achieved when national infrastructure and private sector capabilities come together with a shared focus on progress and long-term value.”

Swapping the roads for rail is also part of a long-term drive to use freight to make the logistics sector more sustainable.

Rail transport provides a lower-emission alternative to traditional road freight and supports the government's environmental goals.

It was previously announced that every train could take up to 300 lorries off the UAE’s roads, and the network aims to reduce CO2 emissions in the country's road transport sector by 21 per cent annually by 2050.