Noatum Logistics, an AD Ports Group company and a leading logistics provider serving the globe across all major markets and trade lanes, announced today the launch of its new rail logistics solution for the Middle East region.
The new offering, which complements Noatum Logistics’ integrated regional portfolio of freight forwarding products leveraging land, sea, and air transport, was inaugurated with the launch of its first rail shuttle service between Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals.
The shuttle service, which uses the UAE’s national railway developed and operated by Etihad Rail, aims to add significant capacity to the regional logistics network and provide optionality to customers transporting large volumes of overland freight. Specifically, the service will offer weekly departures capable of carrying of up to 156 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) or 78 Forty-Foot Equivalent Units (FEUs) per direction via a single train.
Depending on demand, the solution can incorporate first and last mile truck transport, thereby providing clients with seamless end-to-end connectivity.
The new rail service offers significant savings and efficiencies compared to traditional road transport, making it a compelling choice for businesses seeking to optimise their logistics operations. The service is very scalable and ideal for handling large volumes of bulk, containerised, oversized and general cargo, particularly over medium and long distances. Given that the service runs on a dedicated rail network, it is not affected by traffic conditions, road bans or tolls, thereby allowing customers to generate savings and take advantage of more reliable delivery times and predictable logistics planning. Just as importantly, thanks to its ability to combine scale with fuel efficiency, rail service emits significantly fewer CO2 emissions per-tonne of cargo moved than trucking, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability and helping clients meet their specific emission goals and mandates.
Depending on regional demand dynamics, Noatum Logistics will be able to increase the number of weekly departures for the Khalifa Port to Fujairah Terminals leg and launch new shuttle services across the broader regional rail network.