AD Ports Group’s Noatum Logistics fast-tracks land transport in the Middle East with a new rail logistics offering via Etihad Rail network

Noatum Logistics, an AD Ports Group company and a leading global logistics provider, has announced the launch of its new rail logistics solution for the Middle East region. This new offering complements Noatum Logistics’ integrated regional portfolio of freight forwarding products, which includes land, sea, and air transport. The rail solution was inaugurated with the launch of its first rail shuttle service between Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals.

The shuttle service utilises the UAE’s national railway network, developed and operated by Etihad Rail, to significantly enhance the regional logistics network and provide customers with a reliable option for transporting large volumes of overland freight. The service will offer weekly departures with a capacity of up to 156 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units or 78 Forty-Foot Equivalent Units per direction on a single train. Depending on demand, the solution can also include first and last mile truck transport, offering clients seamless end-to-end connectivity.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, managing director and group CEO of AD Ports Group, highlighted the significance of the new service: “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 connectivity across the UAE and the broader Middle East region. Serving as a key pillar of our multimodal transport network, the National Railway Network 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 of Noatum Logistics, Middle East Region, AD Ports Group, added: “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.”

The new rail service provides significant savings and efficiencies compared to traditional road transport, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to optimise their logistics operations. It is highly scalable and well-suited for handling large volumes of bulk, containerised, oversized, and general cargo, especially over medium and long distances. Operating on a dedicated rail network, the service is unaffected by traffic conditions, road bans, or tolls, offering customers reliable delivery times and predictable logistics planning. Additionally, the rail service is more environmentally sustainable, emitting significantly fewer CO2 emissions per tonne of cargo moved compared to trucking, which helps clients meet their specific emission goals and mandates.

Noatum Logistics plans to scale the service in response to regional demand, with the potential to increase the number of weekly departures for the Khalifa Port to Fujairah Terminals route and launch new shuttle services across the broader regional rail network.

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