Gulf Railway

Last updated
Gulf Railway
Overview
Other name(s)GCC Railway
Native nameسكة الحديد الخليجية
Owner
Locale Gulf Cooperation Council
Termini
Service
Type Inter-city rail
Rolling stockDiesel locomotives
History
Planned opening2023 (2023)
Technical
Line length2,177 km (1,353 mi)
CharacterAt-grade
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification No
Operating speed220 km/h (passenger)
80-120 km/h (freight)

The Gulf Railway, also known as the GCC Railway, is a proposed railway system to connect all six Gulf Cooperation Council member states in Eastern Arabia. The rail network will have a total length of 2,177 km. The project is estimated to cost US$250 billion. [1] It was scheduled to be completed by 2025, [2] although as of 2023, construction work has yet to start. [3]

Contents

Each of the six GCC member states is responsible for implementing the portion of the project that lies within its territory, and will construct its own railway lines and branches, stations and freight terminals. The cost will be shared by the six countries in proportion to the length of the rail network in each country. As a result, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will spend the most on the project, followed by Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. The Saudi Railway Company will develop the network in Saudi Arabia, Etihad Rail in the UAE, Oman Rail in Oman, and Qatar Rail in Qatar. [4]

The project has met hurdles on account of challenges with the financing of the project exacerbated by volatile oil prices, and lack of alignment of the interests of the six states involved. The expected date of completion of the project is uncertain, given the lack of clarity on the exact scale and operating model of the venture. [5]

History

The Gulf Railway project was approved by GCC member states at the 30th GCC summit in Kuwait City in December 2009. [6] [7] Saudi Arabia was the only GCC country to have any railway infrastructure at the time the project was proposed. [8] The original deadline to complete the project was 2018. This was postponed to 2021 at a meeting of GCC transport ministers in Riyadh in April 2016. [9]

In November 2015, Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) President Mohamed Al Suwaiket stated that implementation of the GCC Railway had begun in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, and would begin in Saudi Arabia within 2 months. [10] Qatar floated tenders for its portion of the Gulf Railway project in the summer of 2015, but later put the project on hold. In March 2016, Abdulla Al Subaie, managing director of Qatar Rail, stated that Qatar was ready to start work on the project but was waiting for other GCC countries to begin construction. In January 2016, Etihad Rail suspended the tendering process for Phase 2 of the UAE's railway project, which includes the UAE's portion of the Gulf Railway. [11] UAE Minister for Infrastructure Development Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi stated that the decision "was logical because you simply cannot build your part and wait for others to start". [9]

In May 2016, Oman announced that it was putting the project on hold. Omani Minister of Transport Ahmed al-Futaisi said, "There was a challenge among countries in the pace at which the project was being implemented. Some countries started, but some others did not follow the design. So this was a challenge for Oman. Even if Oman finishes its part, it cannot connect because other countries have not started their work." He clarified that Oman "has not cancelled the project, only delayed it as other Persian Gulf countries have decided to stop work on the project". [12] Oman subsequently focused on constructing its domestic rail network linking the ports of Salalah, Sohar and Duqm. [13] Bahrain stated that it would not begin construction on its portion of the project linking with Saudi Arabia until 2023. The country intends to construct the link to Kuwait only after completing the Saudi link. [13]

Futaisi and David Briginshaw, editor-in-chief of the International Railway Journal, have stated that the low price of oil and minerals that has resulted in budget deficits among GCC members is the primary reason hindering the project. Briginshaw said, "Low oil prices affect investment, and obviously [Oman's] project is designed to take minerals to the coast, so if there isn't demand it brings the whole project into question." The project was first conceived during an era of high oil prices. Unlike the EU, the GCC is not economically integrated, and states act independently and pursue their own policies sometimes creating competing economic agendas. Countries have chosen to give priority to their own domestic rail networks over the Gulf Railway, concerned that they may construct lines towards the border before their neighbour sufficiently completes work on their portion of the project. [11] [12] Other concerns hindering the project are visa issues for non-GCC nationals, illegal migration, smuggling, competing economic agendas and disagreements about where the lines should meet. [12]

Helmut Scholze, partner at Roland Berger Middle East, believes the project is delayed due to the lack of clarity on when Saudi Arabia will build its portion of the network. Scholze states that without the Saudi portion, there was no point in UAE proceeding with it portion and even less incentive for Oman, as they would not gain access to Saudi Arabia (the region's largest market) and the other GCC countries. Scholze feels this has resulted in UAE and Oman focusing on constructing domestic rail networks to reduce road traffic and transport goods. Despite the delays, Scholze believes the project will be completed. Construction Week Online cited a rail industry source who also believed the project would be completed. However, the anonymous source felt that the "earliest [completion date] will be 2025 but, if you look at it realistically, the most likely completion date will be 2030". [14]

At the 37th GCC summit in Bahrain in December 2016, the GCC Supreme Council stressed on the importance of members being committed to the railway project. At the request of Saudi King Salman, the Council decided to send the draft project to the economic and development commission to ensure timely implementation. Saudi Minister of Transport Sulaiman al-Hamdan stated that "a large part of this project in Saudi Arabia has been completed". [15] [16]

On 28 February 2017, Abdulla S. Al Katheeri, director-general of the UAE's Federal Transport Authority (FTA) - Land and Maritime, stated that the GCC could meet the 2021 deadline for the project despite fluctuating oil prices. Katheeri pointed out that the total value of proposed rail projects in the GCC was over $240 billion, and $69 billion worth of projects were currently under construction. [17] At the Middle East Rail 2017 conference and exhibition in Dubai on 7 March 2017, GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani stated that the Gulf Railway was necessary to ensure sustained development in the region. He also noted that consensus to complete the project had been established at previous GCC meetings. [18] At the same event President of Saudi Arabia's Public Transport Authority and of the SRO, Rumaih Al Rumaih announced that the GCC had begun conducting a feasibility study to establish a GCC regional rail authority. [19]

In April 2017, Secretary General of the Federation of GCC Chambers Abdul Rahim Al Naqi stated that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman had made considerable progress in implementing the project. He also confirmed that Bahrain had appointed an international company to execute the project. Naqi clarified that the first phase was for all countries to develop rail connectivity between cities domestically, and then establish cross-border links with other GCC states. Naqi stated that the project in Kuwait was delayed by infrastructural and technical issues. Kuwait authorities encountered issues acquiring farms and other private property along the proposed route, and also had difficulty ensuring that the route did not conflict with oil facilities. He stated that construction of the project in Kuwait would begin in 2018, and complete by 2020. [20] [21] [22] Kuwait began construction of 111-km railway line connecting with Al-Nuwaiseeb on the Saudi border in August 2018. [2]

The UAE section of the project received a boost on 27 November 2018 when the UAE Ministry of Finance and the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance signed an agreement to fund Phase 2 of the country's rail network comprising a 605 kilometer line from Ghuwaifat on the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah. [23] [24]

Network

Rail transport map of Saudi Arabia. The GCC Railway network can be seen in yellow. Rail transport map of Saudi Arabia.png
Rail transport map of Saudi Arabia. The GCC Railway network can be seen in yellow.

The planned railway would begin at Kuwait City, pass through Dammam and Al-Batha Port  [ ar ] in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in the UAE, and then enter Oman through Sohar before terminating at Muscat. From Dammam, branches will link to Bahrain through the proposed King Hamad Causeway, and to Qatar via Salwa port. The proposed Qatar–Bahrain Causeway between Bahrain and Qatar will provide additional connectivity. [15]

Three stations are proposed to be constructed in Bahrain. After entering Bahrain from Dammam, the first station on the line will be at Khalifa bin Salman Port, followed by stations at the Bahrain International Airport and Amwaj Islands. From Amwaj, the line will head to Qatar. [25]

The following table shows the length of the system in each country. [26]

CountryLine length
Kuwait145 km (90 mi)
Bahrain36 km (22 mi)
Qatar283 km (176 mi)
Saudi Arabia663 km (412 mi)
United Arab Emirates684 km (425 mi)
Oman306 km (190 mi)

Infrastructure

A GCC Rail Authority was proposed to be established to oversee the development of the network. [27] However, no authority to oversee the project has been established, and countries are currently independently carrying out rail projects within their territory.

The Gulf Railway is expected to boost free movement in the GCC by providing unhindered travel from Kuwait to Oman. GCC nationals have visa-free entry to each other's countries. The railway is also expected to boost intra-GCC trade by providing freight transport services. [12] According to Abdul Rahim Hassan Naqi, Secretary General of the Federation of the GCC Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the railway will provide more than 80,000 direct and indirect jobs once it is made operational. [15]

Rolling stock

Diesel locomotives will be used on the GCC Railway. Passenger trains will operate at a speed of 220 km/h, while freight trains will be limited to speeds of 80–120 km/h. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

This article is about transport in Oman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Bahrain</span>

Transport in Bahrain encompasses road transportation by car, air transportation and shipping. It has been announced that a monorail network will be constructed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Cooperation Council</span> Regional trade bloc in the Middle East

The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council, is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The council's main headquarters is located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The Charter of the GCC was signed on 25 May 1981, formally establishing the institution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arab states of the Persian Gulf</span>

The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states which border the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is bound to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, based on history and culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group</span>

The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group is a privately held business conglomerate established in 1890. It is one of the largest family-owned multinationals in the Middle East, with complementary businesses and strategic partnerships. It has a physical presence across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia, and a 4,000-strong workforce, covering a broad range of sectors. Its business groups include: Kanoo Capital, Industrial & Energy, Travel, Shipping & Logistics and Real Estate.

This article deals with territorial disputes between states of in and around the Persian Gulf in Southwestern Asia. These states include Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman.

The Khaleeji was a proposed name for a common currency of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Since the early 2000s, Doha, the capital of Qatar has been undergoing an extensive expansion in its transportation network including the addition of new highways, the construction of a new airport, and the under-construction Doha metro. These projects are meant to keep up with the population's rapid growth, which has strained the country's current infrastructure.

The Peninsula Shield Force is the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is intended to deter, and respond to military aggression against any of the GCC member countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf Ice Hockey Championship, also known as the GCC Gulf Ice Hockey Championships, is an international ice hockey competition involving countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The inaugural tournament took place on May 25 to May 30 in Kuwait City, Kuwait, and was organized by the Kuwait Ice Hockey Association. The championship has featured teams from six countries since its formation and currently consists of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates has won all four editions of the championship, while Kuwait has finished second on three occasions and Qatar on one.

Bilfinger Deutsche Babcock Middle East (FZE) is an internationally active construction and engineering services company located in the United Arab Emirates; it is part of Division Piping Systems and part of the framework Bilfinger SE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Bridge International</span>

Gulf Bridge International (GBI) is the Middle East's first privately owned submarine cable system linking the countries bordering the Persian Gulf on a self-healing ring to each other and onward to Europe, Africa and Asia. Gulf Bridge International (GBI), both owns and operates this submarine cable asset as a carrier's carrier as well as offering a full suite of wholesale transmission, IP capacity options, and Enterprise Services. Its main headquarters are located at the Qatar Science & Technology Park in Doha, Qatar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahrain–Qatar relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations exist between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain. They first began in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">23rd Arabian Gulf Cup</span> 2017–18 football competition held in Kuwait

The 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup was the 23rd edition of the biennial football competition for the eight members of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation. It took place in Kuwait from 22 December 2017 until 5 January 2018. Oman won their second title, defeating the United Arab Emirates in the final on penalties following a goalless draw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qatar Rail</span>

Qatar Railways Company, commonly known as Qatar Rail, is a state-owned railway company, responsible for rail transport in Qatar. It is owned and operated by the Government of Qatar. Established in 2011, the company is responsible for the design, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the entire rail network and systems. It manages Qatar's rail network. On May 8, 2019, Qatar rail started the preview service of Doha Metro with 13 stations on the Red Line, starting from Al-Qassar station in the North to Al-Wakra station in the South. The three metro lines that form the current network became fully operational by September 2020.

Migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council region involves the prevalence of migrant workers in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Together, these six countries form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), established in 1981. The GCC cooperates on issues related to economy and politics, and the subject of migrant workers constitutes a substantial part of the council's collaboration. All of the GCC countries are dependent on migrant labor to bolster and stimulate economic growth and development, as the GCC countries possess an abundance of capital while the domestic labor capacity is low. Although migrant workers in the Persian Gulf region amount to no more than 10% of all migrants worldwide, they constitute a significant part of the populations of their host countries.

The Qatar diplomatic crisis was a diplomatic incident in the Middle East that began on 5 June 2017 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic relations with Qatar and banned Qatar-registered planes and ships from utilising their airspace, land and sea routes, along with Saudi Arabia blocking Qatar's only land crossing, as a de facto blockade. The crisis ended in January 2021 following a resolution between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qatar–Saudi Arabia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Saudi Arabia–Qatar relations refers to the current and historical relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar. Prior to 2017, the two countries maintained cordial ties. Qatar was mainly subservient to Saudi Arabia in matters relating to foreign policy. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's assumption of power saw Qatar reclaim its sovereignty in foreign affairs, often diverging from Saudi Arabia on many geopolitical issues. In 1996, the Qatari government launched Al Jazeera in a bid to consolidate soft power. One of the most watched news stations in the Arab world, Al Jazeera proved to be a wedge in the two's bilateral relations as it routinely criticized Saudi Arabia's ruler. The network also provided a platform for Islamist groups which are considered a threat to Saudi Arabia's monarchy.

The GCC Games is a regional multi-sport event which involves participants from the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The GCC Games, a quadrennial multi-sport event, was established by the union and first held in 2011. There are numerous long-running GCC Championships for individual sports, including: the Gulf Cooperation Council Athletics Championships football, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, sailing, basketball, Swimming, Marathon Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Artistic Swimming, tennis, gymnastics, weightlifting, futsal, snooker, Cycling, Chess and table tennis. The 3rd edition of the game had to be organized in June 2019, but held in 2022 due to the internal issues between the GCC state countries. The 4th edition has been announced and will happen as per the announced dates. For the first time the games will be organized by the new, young and talented faces of GCC team.

The 2022 GCC Women's Gulf Cup was a women's T20I cricket (WT20I) tournament played in Oman from 20 to 26 March 2022. Organised by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the tournament featured the women's national teams of Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia played their first official WT20I matches during this tournament.

References

  1. ↑ "EU, GCC to sign MoU on railway cooperation". Arab News. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 Bridge, Sam. "Kuwait said to start work on 111km railway project". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  3. ↑ "Second Bridge to Ease Traffic, Trade Between Island Nation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia". 8 July 2021.
  4. ↑ UK, DVV Media. "Gulf Railway could start next year". Railway Gazette. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "New timeline for 2,177-km GCC rail project". Arab News. 2016-02-28. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  6. ↑ Staff Report (17 February 2014). "GCC railway project estimated to cost $15.4b". GulfNews. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "GCC rail project to be completed by 2018 at a cost of $15.4b". UNITECH Matters. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  8. ↑ Smith, Kevin. "Delivering the GCC's integrated railway". Rail Journal. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  9. 1 2 "Deadline for GCC rail network pushed back three years". The National. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Gulf railway project begins in UAE, Oman, and in Saudi after two months". Al Arabiya. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  11. 1 2 Morgan, James. "Is it stalemate for the GCC Railway Network?". Construction Week Online. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 McLoughlin, Paul (4 May 2016). "Gulf States put brakes on joint-GCC railway plan". Al Araby. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  13. 1 2 "Gulf States to discuss regional rail project at April meet". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Columnist, CW Guest. "Will GCC rail projects face further delays? | ConstructionWeekOnline.com". Construction Week Online. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Large part of Gulf railway in Saudi completed". Al Arabiya. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  16. ↑ "37th GCC Summit issues final communiqué". Arab News. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  17. ↑ Tesorero, Angel. "GCC rail project to meet 2021 deadline - Khaleej Times". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "Railway project mandatory for regional growth: GCC chief - Kuwait Times". Kuwait Times. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  19. ↑ "Regulatory body for pan-Gulf rail project under study-official". Zawya. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  20. ↑ "GCC railway project faces further delays- official". Zawya. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  21. ↑ "'Technical problems' delay GCC railway project: official - Kuwait Times". Kuwait Times. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  22. ↑ "GCC rail project delayed over 'technical problems'". Trade Arabia. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  23. ↑ Bridge, Sam. "Financing agreed for stage 2 of UAE's national railway project". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  24. ↑ "Ministry of Finance and Abu Dhabi Department of Finance financing stage two of the UAE national railway network". Zawya.com. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  25. ↑ "Three stations to connect Bahrain to GCC rail". Trade Arabia. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  26. ↑ "GCC Railway Project". Saudi Railways Organization. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  27. ↑ "Pointers". Railway Gazette International. 9 October 2010.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.