Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network, has concluded the first edition of the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition & Conference (Global Rail) 2024 on a successful note sealing 10 major agreements with international companies specialising in railways, transport, and infrastructure, including Hitachi, Presight AI Technologies as well as Indian groups L&T and RITES, as part of its efforts to shape the future of the transport and infrastructure sector.

 

The UAE’s national railway network, inaugural edition of Global Rail was hosted by Etihad Rail with the support of its Chairman Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Adnec Group, and dmg events, under the theme 'Setting Transport Infrastructure and Global Connectivity in Motion.'

 

The UAE railway network developer signed an MoU with Presight AI, a leading artificial intelligence and big data analytics company, to explore and implement cutting-edge digital solutions across its operations. 

 

This strategic collaboration will leverage Presight AI's expertise in generative AI, smart transportation, and logistics to enhance Etihad Rail's efficiency, productivity, and overall digital transformation. 

 

The partnership will focus on developing and deploying AI-driven solutions for capital planning, corporate excellence, and other key business units, positioning Etihad Rail at the forefront of AI-powered innovation in the railway industry, it stated.

 

Its other big deal was with L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS), a global engineering services company based in India, to explore the joint establishment and operation of a National Mobility Innovation Center in Abu Dhabi. 

 

This strategic partnership aims to accelerate the development and adoption of cutting-edge physical and digital solutions for a more sustainable, inclusive, and intelligent transportation ecosystem. The centre will also focus on fostering talent and expertise in rail, mobility, and related fields through research, collaboration, and commercialization initiatives.

 

It also signed a key agreement with RITES, a leading Indian public sector enterprise specialising in transportation and infrastructure, aimed at exploring potential synergies and collaboration, unlocking opportunities in railway and infrastructure development in the UAE and wider region. 

 

This includes the supply and leasing of rolling stock, as well as consultancy and project management for railway development, it added.

 

A major agreement was signed with Korea National Railway (KNR) and Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) aimed at fostering a multifaceted collaboration encompassing technical exchanges, knowledge sharing, and joint efforts in railway construction, project management, operations, facility maintenance, and rolling stock, said Etihad Rail in a statement. 

 

The partnership aims to drive innovation and best practices in rail infrastructure development, leveraging the expertise of all three organisations, it stated.

 

This was followed by a MoU with Hitachi Rail to explore collaboration on enhancing communication systems and cybersecurity for future passenger transport services via the UAE’s national rail network. 

 

Under this partnership, Hitachi Rail will equip Etihad Rail’s future passenger stations with advanced communication systems, including oversight and cybersecurity solutions, to improve station management, enhance passenger safety, and facilitate seamless travel between major cities in the UAE.

 

The other deals were inked with Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) for knowledge exchange and technical cooperation; IronLev for exploring magnetic levitation technologies to enhance rail operations and SBS Transit, a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore, for leveraging mobility solutions and AI applications in developing the railway sector in the UAE and the region.

 

Etihad Rail also signed a strategic agreement with Nevomo, a European deep-tech company specialising in autonomous rail transport, to explore the potential of implementing cutting-edge solutions for enhanced efficiency and sustainability in the UAE's railway sector. 

 

The collaboration will focus on identifying potential use cases for Nevomo's Magrail Booster Technology, particularly in ports, logistics, and freight operations, it added.-TradeArabia News Service