ABU DHABI – Etihad Rail will build an intermodal rail terminal in Jebel Ali port for the efficient transfer of freight.

Etihad Rail, which is developing the railway network in the country, and DP World have signed a MoU in this regard, which represents a significant step forward in the development of the rail network, as it will enable the more efficient transfer of containerised freight.

DP World has already earmarked a strategic potential plot for the intermodal rail terminal, adjacent to Jebel Ali Maritime Terminal 1 and close to Terminal 2.

The team at DP World will oversee the building and operation of the loading and unloading facilities at the rail terminal while Etihad Rail will construct and own the railway infrastructure and manage the rail services to and from the 
terminal.

This important agreement was signed by chairman of Etihad Rail Nasser Al Sowaidi and chairman of DP World Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. In a statement, Al Sowaidi said that intermodal rail terminal inside Jebel Ali Port will enable the efficient transfer of containerised freight from ocean vessels onto the rail network and vice versa.

“The project will ultimately boost the economic growth of the UAE,” he said.

Sulayem said the rail terminal and the Etihad Rail network as a whole will add significantly to the efficiency at Dubai’s flagship Jebel Ali port. More info

Abu Dhabi Etihad Rail, master developer and operator of the UAE railway network, unveiled on Wednesday the livery for its locomotives.

Image Credit: WAM Delivery of the locomotives will take place late this year and will support the inaugural service of transporting granulated sulphur from the Shah and Habshan fields to Ruwais.

“The locomotives will be finished in a durable light grey paint scheme, relieved with broad red bands and the Etihad Rail logo situated near the middle of the body line,” Etihad Rail said.

Nasser Al Suwaidi, chairman of Etihad Rail, said “The livery is aligned with Etihad Rail’s established brand identity, which incorporates the colours of the UAE flag as a symbol of national pride and unity. The locomotives will be operational end of 2013 in the Western Region.”

The company said that delivery of the locomotives is scheduled for late 2012, and will support the inaugural service of transporting granulated sulphur from the Shah and Habshan fields to Ruwais.

Etihad Rail is developing a 266km route in the Western Region that will carry up to 22,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur daily from the Shah and Habshan fieklds for export at the port of Ruwais.

Hammam Shamma, chief economist and analyst at Al Fajr Securities, told the Gulf News that this project will stimulate the UAE economy.

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If you head for Al Sowwah Island just off the eastern coast of Abu Dhabi city, make sure you follow signboards carrying the name Al Maryah. For that island is no longer Al Sowwah after its name was changed by Abu Dhabi Municipality.

Al Sowwah Island

Officials said they have already started changing the name on the signboards from Sowwah to Al Maryah following a decision by authorities to name the island after a famous oasis with deer in the western region near Liwa.

“The decision to change the name is to underscore the economic and construction significance of that island which is undergoing massive development,” the Municipality said in a statement.

Al Sowa, now officially Al Maryah, is a 114-hectare island site located on the eastern side of Abu Dhabi Island. To the east of the Island lies Al Reem Island which is currently planed for a large mixed use development

Al Sowa is a mixed-use residential, retail, leisure, hotel and commercial development in the heart of Abu Dhabi. It is designated by the emirate’s Urban Planning Council to be the capital’s Central Business District (CBD).

The Island will feature a comprehensive transport system that integrates every aspect of the island into the capital’s road, rail and air infrastructure.

Thirteen bridges will link the island with the region’s national and international transport network. Abu Dhabi airport is 30 minutes distance by road and Dubai around 60 minutes away. A mass transit system will connect commercial and residential areas of the city by metro and Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines. More info

Latest real estate developments and projects in the Middle East will be revealed at the upcoming Cityscape Abu Dhabi, the region’s leading real estate development and investment event, said organisers.

The sixth edition of Cityscape Abu Dhabi is taking place from April 22 to 25 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Leading players in the regional real estate industry will also use the event as a key platform to provide updates on existing developments.

Wahat Al Zaweya will be showcasing a major eco-friendly, self sustainable, mixed-use community development at the event.

Spread over 22.7 million sq m of land currently in the Faqaa corridor of UAE’s Garden City Al Ain, Wahat Al Zaweya will be available in four phases, with the master developer looking to sell 1,500 available villa plots in Phase One.

“Wahat Al Zaweya will become an ideal weekend and getaway destination for local Emirati and expatriate families,” said Khaldoun Saleh, general manager of Wahat Al Zaweya. “The project will comprise holiday or weekend homes that co-exist with a host of other developments including education institutes, healthcare facilities, retail and other services.” More info

Taxi fares in Abu Dhabi will be increased at the beginning of next month and, predictably, there has been a mixed reaction. Customers naturally have grumbled. But for overworked taxi drivers, and the long-term urban transport strategy, this should be welcome news if implemented properly.

Last week, TransAD officials announced that fares in the capital will increase with a minimum charge of Dh10 for trips after 10pm. Other changes include raising the per-kilometre rates and decreasing the fee for booking a taxi through the call centre, from Dh5 to Dh3 during the day and Dh4 at night.

People who rely heavily on taxis to get around town will be hit in their pocketbooks. For lower-income passengers, it is especially important that public transport expands to keep pace. In the short term, there will inevitably be some hardship felt; transport officials must be ready to respond to increased demand by adding buses and, if necessary, new routes. In the longer term, the Metro, light rail and rapid-transit lines will reshape the island anyway.

For taxi drivers, however, the benefits should be immediate. The total number of customers may drop, but hopefully the new measures will mean they will spend less time on the road – some drivers work between 12 and 16 hours a day. “We’re trying to decrease taxis just roaming in the streets without business,” said Mohamed Hussain Al Hosani, a director at TransAD.

By introducing higher flag-fall fees and per-kilometre rates, the income of individual taxi drivers should increase. Just as importantly, the reduced number of working hours will give drivers more rest time, improve safety on the roads and diminish the chances of unsafe driving because of fatigue.

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ABU DHABI //Plans for Abu Dhabi’s metro network have been substantially scaled back, with the first phase now due to open by 2020.

The updated transport plans including a metro, two light-rail tram lines and a bus rapid-transit loop.

The original 2008 plans proposed a 130-kilometre metro network, but those released yesterday include 70km of metro line, with only 18km expected to be running by 2020.

“A lot of changes have been made to our public transport plans,” said Khalid Hashim, the executive director of the land-transport sector at the Department of Transport (DoT).

Mr Hashim was talking on the sidelines of the International Association of Public Transport Mena Congress, a three-day conference in the capital, which ends today.

He said the new plans took into consideration routes with a large number of passengers, the congestion levels and reduction of carbon-dioxide emissions.

In its first phase, the metro will serve the main bus station Al Wahda, North Island (from Al Saada Street to the Corniche, including Reem, Lulu and Sowwah islands), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Zayed Sports City.

“Between stations the Metro can reach 80 to 100kph,” said Hashim Al Hashimi, the director of public transport at the DoT. “If you include stoppage time, it will be 40kph as it has to wait for people to disembark.”

Two 40km light-rail transit lines are expected to be operational by 2018. The first will be from Marina Mall, passing through Electra Street and Sowwah Island and out to Reem Island.

The second line will serve the Eid prayer ground on 15th street known as the “Eid depot”, the central bus station, the Corniche Hospital on Salam Street and Saadiyat Island.

The new trams will have an average speed of 20kph, including stoppage time.

By 2016, the circular bus rapid transit (BRT) system will serve Sowwah Island, the Central Market, the Cultural Foundation and Abu Dhabi Municipality.

Mr Al Hashimi said this would run on dedicated bus lanes.

The network will serve attractions and destinations including Saadiyat Island, Reem Island, Sowwah Island, Central Market, Al Wahda Mall and the main bus station, the Cultural Foundation, Marina Mall, Mushrif Mall, Al Jazeera Club, Adnec and Zayed Sports City.

What the new plans do not include is the network spreading south and east from Abu Dhabi Island. More info

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company has announced the launch of the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre

The ICC at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), which rebrands its Abu Dhabi Hall, is expected to boost the UAE capital’s positioning as a destination for large-scale international conventions and association events.

“ADNEC has an important role to play in achieving the vision for the emirate outlined in Abu Dhabi’s Plan 2030. Building on our success to date, we continue to seek out new opportunities and raise Abu Dhabi’s international profile as a destination for major events; the creation of ICC Abu Dhabi is another step in this direction,” said HE Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.

“The ICC move comes ahead of this week’s World Ophthalmology Congress 2012 being held at ADNEC from 16-20 February. The event is the largest congress to be staged in the UAE capital and is expected to attract 12,000 delegates”, said ADNEC’s Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Humaid Al Dhaheri.

“Hosting successful events of this scale showcases our capabilities and the flexibility of our venue. With a dedicated ICC and all the supporting facilities we have in place, Abu Dhabi is in a great position to attract many more large conventions in the coming months and years,” he added.

ABU DHABI: A number of truck drivers have expressed happiness over the proposed new Abu Dhabi-Dubai motorway (E311) that is expected to be completed in two-and-a-half years.

“We shall be saved from taking longer routes through Musaffa,” said Mohammed Zaman, hailing the project as a “well-thought step by the government.”

The Dh2bn 62-km project is to be carried out by the Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT).

Once finished, the road will create new points of entry to Abu Dhabi, the Islands of Yas and Saadiyat as well as Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The road will have dual carriageway starting at the end of Emirates Road in Seih Shuoaib through Al Maha forest and Khalifa Port Industrial Zone (B) and will join up at the Sweihan Road (E20) interchange.

“Passing through Musaffa takes a lot of time than through the proposed routes,” agreed another truck driver, Nasur Gavana.

Based on the projection that the population of Abu Dhabi was forecast to increase substantially and that better transport was essential in order to secure long-term investment, the DoT commissioned the Surface Transport Master Plan (STMP) in 2008.

The STMP aimed at developing the conceptual transportation strategy outlined in Plan 2030 into a detailed Master Plan and implementation programme for the city of Abu Dhabi and the rest of the Emirates. The Plan was finalised and released in April 2009.

The new motorway, whose bids have been invited this week, is part of the STMP.

Adding to road safety features, the new main road will come with a rainwater drainage system and a fence on both sides of the main road to protect herds.

ABU DHABI: FLASH Entertainment is hosting Madonna’s historic performance in Abu Dhabi on June 3rd in what is already being talked about as the regional music event of the decade. It was confirmed today that 22,000 tickets would be sold for the show.

With an average of 41,000 fans attending each show of Madonna’s last tour in 2008/9, FLASH are preparing for one of the fastest selling shows in the city’s history. Tickets go on sale at midday on Monday, February 27th and fans are urged to buy early to avoid disappointment.

Madonna’s concert weekend is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans to Yas Island and will mark a real milestone for Abu Dhabi; a city that has built an international reputation for world-class sports and entertainment events.  With global tennis, golf, motor racing, football and sailing already a common feature on the annual Abu Dhabi event calendar, confirmation that Madonna will perform exclusively in the region, follows a long tradition of major concerts in the city and validates the Emirate’s position as a truly international live music destination.

Mira Sadekat FLASH Entertainment stressed that hosting of Madonna was not just a landmark event for Abu Dhabi, but one the entire region could be proud of, “Abu Dhabi has provided the perfect backdrop for exceptional entertainment, cultural and sporting events in recent years. The city has become a major player in the industry, which has played an important part in elevating the entire region’s reputation for delivering world-class entertainment. It’s also made hundreds of thousands of people very happy” She continued: “This is not just an historic moment for Abu Dhabi and the UAE, but for the entire region. We look forward to welcoming people from across the Middle East to enjoy our beautiful city, for what is sure to be a defining weekend of entertainment.”

Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager at Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, spoke of the events importance in the ongoing growth of the city. “Extremely high profile concerts of this nature do much to spread awareness of Abu Dhabi’s tourism offering and the city’s emergence as an international entertainment destination,” he said. “Headline concerts have proved their worth in delivering an increasing number of guests to Abu Dhabi’s hotels and this show, coming as it does in a traditionally slow month will, I am sure, be welcomed by all in the UAE capital’s hospitality sector.”

As one of the most captivating cities in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi continues to attract millions each year who come to enjoy the city’s cultural diversity, world-class leisure and entertainment facilities, stunning beaches and cosmopolitan lifestyle. In recent years, the city has successfully positioned itself as the entertainment hub of the Middle East with the 2009 opening of Yas Island, where the first ever day/night Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was staged.

Just a short drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, Yas Island is home to a wide collection of some of the country’s finest hotels and leisure attractions including Ferrari World, Yas Links, Yas Yacht Club and over 30 dining options (including the world famous Cipriani restaurant).

With the growth of the Yas Island Show Weekends and Yasalam, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is well established as a regional hot spot for concertgoers. The island boasts two performance venues, the Yas Arena and FLASH Forum. The Arena is a landmark of Abu Dhabi and the biggest open-air concert venue in the Middle East.  In 2011, the Yas Arena saw over half a million people through its doors to see performers including Aerosmith, Shakira, Beyonce, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Britney Spears, Metallica, Janet Jackson and Arabic Megastar Amr Diab. In all, the Arena has hosted over 50 artists and 23 shows in the past 3 years.

With unrestricted views throughout, the shortest waiting times in the region, walking distance to free parking for over 5,000 cars, a shuttle bus service from Dubai, and hundreds of taxis, the Arena provides an unrivalled live music experience. Ticket prices start at350 AED and will go on sale at midday UAE time on Monday February 27th from www.thinkflash.ae or by calling 800 FLASH (800-35274). Tickets can also be purchased from Virgin Megastores outlets across the Middle East from Monday 27th February. Etihad Airways will be announcing concert packages in the coming weeks and details will be made available at www.etihad.com/Madonna “Make it a Weekend. Make it a Madonna weekend.”Plan your weekend at www.yasisland.ae.

DUBAI, JANUARY 30 – The message being conveyed by a series of announcements from Abu Dhabi’s budgetary executive council, with its revival of projects in the country’s 2030 strategic plan, is of a greater emphasis on social provision and infrastructure development.

Masdar City

Launched in 2005, the 2030 Strategic Plan contains parallel development of various sectors – from town-planning to the environment, from culture to industry, all aiming at one single integrated objective: redesigning the city as one of the world’s most efficient, attractive and easy-to-live-in capitals, both for its citizens and for foreign visitors.

That city district-come-island, Saadiyat Island, which is to host the Guggenheim Museum and the Louvre museums (with opening confirmed for 2015), is one of the icon projects of the Emirati capital. Along with Masdar City, the city with a zero carbon footprint, it has grabbed most of the headlines in foreign media reports. But, in the words of Sultan Al Nahyan, Chair of Abu Dhabi’s tourism development association, this recommencement of work after the long break “not only signifies the creation of a cultural destination that will attract art lovers and tourists alike, but will also integrate art and culture in its daily life. It will train cultural experts and become a hub of job opportunities for the Emirates”.

The improvement to citizens’ quality of life will also come through the priorities being given to medium-term projects aimed at meeting their needs.

Over the coming five years, one hundred public sector schools are due to be either built from scratch or renovated (the current number is 286). The house-building programme boasts similar proportions, with 50,000 homes for the citizens of Abu Dhabi due to appear in the coming two decades. The North Wathba project alone will offer 13,000 building plots, with more than 7,500 detached homes due to be completed this year.

There is money in the pot for transport too, with the cutting edge project being the 131 km of underground line by 2017, a tramway system and a new Abu Dhabi-Dubai motorway. More info