King Abdullah II and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the laying of the foundation stone for the Aqaba–Shidiya–Maan railway project.
Photo: Royal Hashemite Court
The initiative from the national railway aims to improve freight efficiency for mining goods and to reduce transport costs. This will enhance Jordan’s competitiveness in the export market and reinforce the Aqaba Industrial Port’s role as a logistics hub. It is part of a wider plan to build the Jordan National Railway Network, one of the Economic Modernisation Vision’s flagship projects. The United Arab Emirates–Jordan Railway Company will be responsible for the construction and implementation of the project.
During its first phase, the project is expected to transport about 13 million tonnes of phosphate per year from Shidiya to Aqaba. It will also be linked to the Maan Land Port.
The chairman of the United Arab Emirates–Jordan Railway Company, Mohammad Thneibat, delivered a speech during the foundation stone laying ceremony, which highlighted the importance of the project. The Deputy Chairman and Etihad Rail Chief Executive Officer Shadi Malak called the project a new “economic artery.”
Jordan and the United Arab Emirates signed the agreements, which included the construction of the 360km railway network, in April.
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, the Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and several ministers and officials attended the ceremony.
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