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Oman and UAE explore transport of minerals by rail

Vale UAE Oman WAM
Ahmed Al Musawa Al Hashemi, CEO of the Oman and Etihad Rail Company and Rogerio Nogueira, director of business development at Vale sign the agreement

Oman and Etihad Rail Company, the developer and operator of the UAE-Oman Rail Network, has signed an agreement with Brazilian mining firm Vale to explore transporting iron ore and its derivatives by rail.

The railway line will connect Vale’s industrial complex in Sohar Port and Freezone in Oman to its planned mega-industrial complex in the UAE, state-run WAM news agency reported.

Ahmed Al Musawa Al Hashemi, CEO of the Oman and Etihad Rail Company, said that the deal highlights the interest of potential users in utilising the UAE-Oman railway network and benefiting from its fast, sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective services.

Rogério Nogueira, product and operations manager at Vale, said that the agreement supports the company’s plans to develop industrial complexes in the UAE and Oman to produce low-carbon products for the steelmaking industry.

Vale, headquartered in Brazil, is one of the largest mining companies globally, operating in five continents. The company is a top iron ore producer and has been operating in Sohar Port and Freezone for 12 years.

The company’s industrial complex in Sohar Port, established in 2011, is one of the largest industrial investments in the Sultanate.