Etihad Rail launches Fujairah-Abu Dhabi container service with AD Ports

Etihad Rail and AD Ports Group have launched a direct rail freight service connecting Fujairah Terminals with the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD).

The new service will transport containers around 200 km between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi. It will initially operate three times per week.

The partners have also established ICAD as a customs-enabled inland cargo gateway. Under the new system, containers arriving at Fujairah Terminals can move directly by rail to ICAD, where cargo can then undergo inspection, customs clearance and release. This brings port-related services closer to manufacturers, warehouses and distribution facilities in the industrial area. ICAD has also received its own UN/LOCODE, AECAD.

According to Etihad Rail and AD Ports, shipping lines, freight forwarders and cargo owners can now book cargo directly to ICAD as the destination and clearance point. The arrangement is designed to reduce additional handling and simplify the movement of containers between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi.

The connection links Fujairah Terminals on the Gulf of Oman with one of Abu Dhabi’s main industrial areas. Importers, exporters, manufacturers and logistics companies can use the service to move cargo closer to their facilities without relying entirely on long-distance road transport.

Omar Alsebeyi, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Rail Freight, said the launch of the new Fujairah-ICAD rail service represents another important step in unlocking the full potential of the UAE National Rail Network for customers.

The service effectively extends the reach of Fujairah Terminals beyond the port itself. Fujairah’s location on the UAE’s East Coast provides maritime access through the Gulf of Oman, and the new rail connection links that gateway directly with Abu Dhabi’s industrial hinterland.

Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer, Ports Cluster at AD Ports Group, said the service combines Fujairah Terminals, the UAE National Rail Network and ICAD within a single cargo corridor. The partners expect the connection to support larger container volumes while reducing road movements between the two locations.