On January 31, 2023, CRRC and the Etihad Railway Company of the United Arab Emirates signed a supply contract for the passenger diesel multiple unit project, including 21 high-speed diesel multiple units with three trains operating at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour and a maximum of 140 trains with 20 supercharged trains. options, as well as a 15-year warranty on all relevant trains. This is the first time that China's passenger diesel EMUs have been exported to the UAE, which will help the UAE to establish trunk railway passenger transport services for the first time.

The signing ceremony was held in Beijing and Abu Dhabi via video link

Zhou Biao, Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, and Sun Yongcai, Chairman of CRRC, witnessed the signing ceremony. Tian Xuehua, chairman of CRRC Sifang, and Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail, signed the contract on behalf of both parties. In order to promote trade and economic growth, the UAE is planning to build a new national railway network connecting the seven emirates throughout the territory. This is the largest infrastructure construction project in the national plan of the UAE's next 50-year project.

New breakthrough in going overseas

According to the contract, the project train is a high-speed diesel EMU with centralized power. It uses 7 trains, 2 motors and 5 trailers. The maximum operating speed is 200 kilometers per hour, and the construction speed is 220 kilometers per hour. It is currently the highest speed internal combustion EMU in the world. The train will be built according to the operational needs of the national railway in the UAE, using international advanced standards and technologies to meet the special operating environment of the UAE, such as high temperature and sandstorms. The train has first-class seats, second-class seats, and a family area. It will be equipped with advanced air-conditioning systems, passenger facilities such as WIFI in the carriages, charging ports, and an intelligent operation and maintenance system to provide comfortable and intelligent passenger service experience.

According to the plan, this batch of internationally advanced modern high-speed diesel EMUs is expected to be put into trial operation on the UAE National Railway in 2025. At that time, it will help the UAE to establish a trunk railway passenger transport service for the first time, providing a faster and more efficient new mode of transportation between key cities in the UAE, and greatly shortening travel time.

The UAE is an important partner of CRRC in the Gulf region. CRRC has participated in several freight and passenger train projects in the UAE, actively contributing CRRC solutions to the development of local rail transit. In December 2022, the high-speed diesel EMU tailored by CRRC Sifang for Etihad Railways was unveiled at the 51st National Day Celebration of the UAE and was praised by the UAE. The signing of the contract for the operation of high-speed passenger diesel train sets is the second time that the two parties have joined hands to deepen cooperation.

As China's first operational railway passenger car project exported to the UAE, this project is another important achievement of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the UAE's next 50-year project development plan. It will help the UAE build an internationally advanced modern passenger railway network and promote The economic and social development of the UAE will benefit the local people and play an active role in building a China-UAE community with a shared future for the new era. Editor/He Yuting