Jordan moves to revive inter-regional railway scheme

29 August 2018
Jordan's Transport Ministry conducted a feasibility study for the railway scheme in 2010

Jordan’s Transport Ministry may appoint a Chinese-led team to develop and finance a railway project that will link the country’s main cities, ports and logistics hubs to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and Syria.

MEED understands a team led by Touchstone, a London-registered capital management group comprising 15 Chinese state-owned entities and 15 international fund companies and insurers, is likely to be appointed to undertake the public-private partnership (PPP) contract, estimated to be valued at $4.23bn.

The construction period for the railway will take four years, according to local media reports.

Jordan first conducted a feasibility study for the railway project, officially known as National Cargo Railway Network, in 2010. The Transport Ministry subsequently put the project on hold because of a failure to secure funding.

It is understood the Transport Ministry now aims to emulate Jordan’s successful airport PPP and introduce the procurement model for the railway scheme.

The Queen Alia International airport in Amman, which could initially handle up to 3.5 million passengers, has been successfully redeveloped through a PPP model.

Airport International Group (AIG), a consortium that comprised of international airport developers and contractors, won the 25-year concession for the project in 2007. Today the airport can handle up to 12 million passengers a year.

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