Etihad Rail Launches Direct Cargo Service Between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi’s Industrial City
The UAE’s national railway network is strengthening its role in the country’s logistics sector with a new direct freight service connecting Fujairah Terminals with the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD).
Launched by Etihad Rail Freight in partnership with AD Ports Group, the new service allows containers arriving at Fujairah to travel approximately 200 kilometres by rail directly to ICAD, where customs clearance, inspection and cargo release can take place.
The service operates three times per week and is designed to make the movement of goods between the UAE’s east coast and Abu Dhabi’s industrial centres faster and more efficient.
From Fujairah Port Directly to Abu Dhabi by Rail
Previously, moving cargo inland from a port could involve additional road transportation and multiple stages of handling.
The new Fujairah-ICAD connection brings rail freight and customs services together. Containers arriving at Fujairah Terminals can now be loaded onto Etihad Rail and transported directly to ICAD for inspection, clearance and release.
For businesses, that means cargo can arrive closer to warehouses, factories, production facilities and end markets in Abu Dhabi, potentially reducing additional road journeys and simplifying the overall supply chain.
The service is aimed at importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors and logistics companies operating across the emirate.
ICAD Gets Its Own International Logistics Code
An important part of the new service is ICAD’s designation with its own UN/LOCODE, “AECAD.”
The designation establishes ICAD as a recognised international logistics location within global shipping and trade systems.
For the first time, shipping lines, freight forwarders and cargo owners can book cargo directly to ICAD as both the destination and clearance point.
This means a shipment arriving through Fujairah can continue approximately 200 kilometres inland by rail before completing inspection and customs procedures in Abu Dhabi.
Less Reliance on Long-Distance Trucking
Beyond improving logistics efficiency, the new service is intended to reduce reliance on long-haul road transportation.
Etihad Rail and AD Ports Group say the rail connection can provide more predictable schedules, accommodate high-volume cargo movements, help reduce road congestion and generate lower carbon emissions compared with traditional long-haul trucking.
Rail freight is already becoming a significant part of the UAE’s transport network. Etihad Rail reported transporting more than 6.5 million tonnes of sulphur, over 10 million tonnes of aggregates and 148,000 containers during 2025. Its freight operations also eliminated more than 500,000 truck journeys in the Al Dhafra region during the year.
Connecting the UAE’s East Coast with Abu Dhabi’s Industrial Heartland
The significance of the new route goes beyond connecting two locations.
Fujairah Terminals provides access to the UAE’s east coast on the Gulf of Oman, while ICAD sits within one of Abu Dhabi’s major industrial and logistics areas. Connecting them by dedicated rail creates a more integrated route between maritime trade, the national railway and Abu Dhabi’s industrial sector.
Fujairah Terminals is also part of the wider AD Ports Group network connecting ports, industrial and free zones and logistics services, with trade links extending across the GCC, India, the Red Sea and East Africa.
The Fujairah–ICAD service comes as Etihad Rail continues expanding both its freight and passenger operations, further integrating rail into the movement of people and goods across the UAE.
News Source ARN News Centre
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