The AD Ports Group company Noatum Logistics announced on Tuesday the opening of its new rail logistics solution for the Middle East. The inaugural rail shuttle service between Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals marked the inauguration of the newest offering. The service enhances Noatum Logistics' comprehensive regional array of goods forwarding products that leverages land, sea and air transport, according to a statement from the business.

The shuttle service is intended to increase regional logistics capacity and provide customers transporting big amounts of overland freight with more options. It does this by leveraging the national railway of the United Arab Emirates, which is created and run by Etihad Rail.

Weekly departures will be offered by the service, with each train having the capacity to carry 156 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) or 78 Forty-Foot Equivalent Units (FEUs) in each direction. According to AD Ports Group, the service can also offer consumers end-to-end connection by incorporating first- and last-mile truck transport, contingent on demand.

"Especially across medium and long distances, it is extremely scalable and perfect for moving huge amounts of bulk, containerised, oversized, and general goods. According to AD Ports Group, "the service operates on a dedicated rail network, avoids traffic, road closures, and tolls, ensuring more dependable delivery times and predictable logistics planning."

Furthermore, compared to trucks, the service generates a lot less CO2 per tonne of freight, promoting environmental sustainability.

"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," stated Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group. "The National Railway Network, developed and operated by Etihad Railway, serves as a key pillar of our multimodal transport network, not only linking our strategic seaports and inland logistics assets, but also serving as a springboard for our nation's and the region's future economic development for generations to come," Al Shamsi continued.

According to the firm, Noatum Logistics may add new shuttle services throughout the regional rail network and enhance the number of weekly departures on the Khalifa Port to Fujairah Terminals route based on demand in the area.

"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," stated Qusai Kankazar, Deputy Managing Director, Noatum Logistics, Middle East Region, AD Ports Group. All market participants in our regional logistics network profit from the win-win solution that results from combining the best that rail and trucking have to offer.