The station will see the industrial city becoming one of Etihad Rail’s main public freight terminals in the Dubai emirate.

Dubai Industrial City has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the developer of the UAE’s national railway network, Etihad Rail, for the development of a rail terminal within the City.

The station in DIC, which is located south of the Jebel Ali freezone, will see the industrial city becoming one of Etihad Rail’s main public freight terminals in the Dubai emirate.

DIC is home to number of major players in the UAE’s automotive industry, including Al Rostamani Group, Gargash Motors, Al Habtoor Motors and Al Naboodah Automobile, with logistics service centres and automobiles storage warehouse located in the 55km square industrial estate.

The MOU paves the way for the destination to become the centre of non-bonded transport (non-free zone areas) in the emirate, and supports DIC’s objective to cultivate the growth of the UAE’s manufacturing industry, which the UAE government aims to increase to comprise 25% of the GDP by 2015.  

The MoU specifies the logistics pertaining to the location of the terminal, which will be an important part of stage two of the Etihad rail network, with stage one currently under construction the Abu Dhabi emirate.   

“Etihad Rail is part of a greater vision to drive economic growth and development in the UAE by bringing geographic markets closer together,” commented HE Dr Nasser Al Mansoori, CEO of Etihad Rail.

“The MoU with Dubai Industrial City is in line with this vision of driving development in all emirates in the UAE, enhancing the country’s position as a logistics hub by concentrating all types of cargo in one strategic location.

“We look forward to working closely with Dubai Industrial City to develop one of Etihad Rail’s main public freight terminals, and to exploring opportunities with its growing portfolio of customers from the automotive industry.”