Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) is inviting consultants to submit bids by 23 August to develop a freight transport masterplan for the emirate.

The project aims to link together all modes of freight transport in Abu Dhabi. These include the Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone, highway upgrades, Abu Dhabi International Airport and the first phase of the Union Railway.

The project aims to link together all modes of freight transport in Abu Dhabi

The 264-kilometre first phase of the railway will be a freight line linking the Shah and Habshan gas fields with with oil and gas processing and distribution facilities at the port of Ruwais in the north.

The successful consultant will also discuss the development of the masterplan with the DoT, the Department of Economic Development, the National Transport Authority, Union Railway, the Urban Planning Council (UPC) and government-owned Mubadala Development Company.

The DoT is also planning to invite firms to submit prequalification documents in the next few weeks for a consultancy contract for the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) project.

The department invited companies to prequalify in May for three main areas of the ITS, including ITS design and project management, ITS contractors and ITS software and hardware suppliers and systems manufacturers.

So far, Germany’s Siemens and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation have submitted prequalification documents.

In November 2009, the department of transport announced its $68bn transport masterplan, which involves developing a metro, a tram system and road improvements.

The department is also developing separate surface transport masterplans for Al-Ain and the Western Region.