Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Rail has transported 10 million tonnes of granulated sulphur between source locations in Shah and Habshan and the export point at Ruwais since it began test operations.

This volume equates to an average of 410,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur transported each month, Etihad Rail said in a statement.

The first completed 264km line, the initial part of the planned 1,200km national network, transported about 4.9 million tonnes of the mineral product over a 12-month period.

The line is envisaged to transport 7 million tonnes of sulphur annually at full capacity.

Two locomotives move daily along the 264km route, with each carrying an average of 11,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur.

Etihad Rail received the commercial license for stage one from the Federal Transport Authority in December 2015.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is the offtaker for the granulated sulphur, which is being exported via the Mirfa depot in Ruwais.

The tender for the second stage of the  national railway project was suspended in January 2016, following a 30 per cent reduction in employee headcount.

Unconfirmed reports indicate the client, Etihad Rail, met with stakeholders in late 2016, although it has yet to announce any plan to revive the procurement process for stage two.

The main package for stage 2 has been tendered twice. Two groups were believed to have been shortlisted in the first tender. They include

• Salini Impregilo (Italy) / Samsung C&T (South Korea) / Tristar (local)
• China Railway Construction Company (China ) / Ghantoot Group (local)