Oman Rail is studying the prequalification bids submitted by leading international railway contractors for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract covering three key segments of the National Rail Project, said a report. The project is being carefully planned, structured and executed to deliver long-term and sustainable economic benefits in the form of employment generation, commercial opportunities for Omani companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and in-country value (ICV), reported the Oman Observer, citing a senior official.
“Our core driver is to bring economic benefits to Oman, through the introduction of an efficient, low-cost transportation network that aims to connect the regional economic zones. We aim to link Oman’s major ports – Sohar, Duqm and Salalah,” stated Nathan Wiles, the general manager (projects).
“Segments Two, Three and Four will connect the ports of Duqm and Salalah to the national network. Also included is an extremely challenging stretch traversing the mountainous terrain between Thumrait to Salalah in Dhofar Governorate, which will require extensive tunnelling, high viaducts and other complex civil structures to implement,” he explained. In addition to the rollout of a passenger service linking population centres, Oman Rail aims to supplant road-based container trucking through the introduction of rail-based freight transportation, said Wiles.