Etihad Rail four MoUs, Signs agreements with Alstom, SNCF, Progress Rail, and the Thales Group
Etihad Rail signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with international companies SNCF International, France’s national state-owned railway company; Alstom, a global leader in the green and smart mobility sector; Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, and the Thales Group.
The signing of the agreements took place at the recently concluded InnoTrans 2022, the leading international trade fair for transport technology, held in Berlin, Germany in September 2022.
The agreements, which were signed by officials from both sides, aim to support the UAE’s economic development by driving the growth of the rail industry in the UAE and the region, and cover key areas which include rail operations and maintenance, service facilities, and cargo transportation, while ensuring the integration of the latest technologies.
“Our partners play a key role in supporting us to achieve our mission of developing and operating a rail network that incorporates state-of-the-art technologies, and provides safe, sustainable, and reliable solutions,” stated Ahmed Al Musawa, Executive Director, Passenger Sector, Etihad Rail.
SNCF International
Under the terms of the MoU between Etihad Rail and SNCF International, the two parties will collaborate and explore opportunities in different areas of mutual interest. These areas include railway operations; train maintenance; workshops and training sessions; design, development, and operations rail projects in the UAE; supply and maintenance of railway rolling stock among others.
“We believe rail transport is the foundation of a sustainable mobility. SNCF International salutes the commitment of Etihad Rail with their ambitious and major projects for rail transport. We are looking forward to this cooperation,” affirmed Diego Diaz, President, SNCF International.
Alstom
The MoU between Etihad Rail and Alstom centres on the integration of advanced technologies and services in the railway industry. As part of the MoU, the two parties will collaborate in areas, which include: Railway innovations, from incubation to commercialization, including innovative sustainability in the field of train technology; mobility and integration solutions between various modes of transport.
“Together, we will focus on the digitalization of the railway sector to optimize operations, maintenance, and enhance customer experience for the passenger service,” remarked Mama Sougoufara, Alstom’s Managing Director for the MENAT region (Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey).
Thales
The MoU with Thales also places a major focus on the digitization of Etihad Rail’s services. Under the terms of the MoU, the two parties will collaborate in various areas, which include new generation rail control; European Train Control System (ETSC) Level 3; driver advisory system;
intelligent traffic operation; asset management and real time passenger flow.
“This new partnership demonstrates the key partner role played by Thales throughout the world to help its customers meet the challenges they must face. It also proves the high recognition of Thales expertise in rail domain,” observed Millar Crawford, Executive Vice-President, Ground Transportation Systems, Thales.
Progress Rail
In addition, the MoU with Progress Rail aims to discuss areas of cooperation to support sustainability in the railway industry through discussing potential opportunities for the development and deployment of an autonomous, zero-emissions port-to-port concept, which could serve as the foundation for future rail operations globally.
“Progress Rail is committed to providing sustainable solutions for customers like Etihad Rail,” noted Marty Haycraft, President and CEO, Progress Rail.
Want to stay updated on the latest industry news and trends? Subscribe today to receive your monthly news highlights directly in your inbox!
