UAE-headquartered contractor Drake & Scull said one of its subsidiaries has entered into strategic partnerships with industry experts to grab a major share of the billion-dollar railway infrastructure contracts in the GCC region.

Drake & Scull Rail (DSR) is an internationally recognised enterprise with a proven record of over 40 years, in delivering turnkey rail construction and maintenance projects in Europe and East Asia, said a statement from the Dubai firm.

It offers complete  engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions for all systems and services for stations, depots and tunnels, catering to industrial, manufacturing, governmental and railroad clients across Middle East and North Africa (Mena) and South Asia region.

DSR said it was highly optimistic about its prospects of securing contracts on the major rail and urban transport projects underway in the region.

The company has refined its manpower and technologies and is well equipped to assume leadership role in the development of the regional rail and metro networks, it added.

Speaking on the sidelines of the company’s participation at the 2015 Middle East Rail Summit, Khaldoun Al Tabari, the chief executive and vice-chairman of Drake & Scull International, expressed his confidence in DSR’s potential growth for the industry in 2015.

"We saw some positive momentum towards the launching of the rail network creation acitivities in the region in 2014. Regional governments have recognised that rising populations have exerted pressure on existing road infrastructure, and only a dedicated rail and metro network can ensure swift and efficient transport of people and goods," stated the top official.

"The GCC Rail alone is expected to span 2100 km in length, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia constituting the bulk of the rail network," revealed Tabari citing a 2014 study by Ashurst, a leading international law firm based in the UK.

"However, the recent uncertainity regarding the 2018 launch target for the ambitious GCC rail has tempered the regional industry’s expectations to realisitic levels," he added.

"If we look across the region, Abu Dhabi is committed to spending $82 billion on enhancing its transport infrastructure by 2030 as per Plan Abu Dhabi 2030," said Tabari.

The Dubai government recently launched the Tram network which it aims to expand along with the Dubai Metro which has been a runaway success, he added.

In Saudi Arabia, the government is developing the $5.3-billion Saudi Railway Company Line, the landbridge project, the $7-billion Haramain High Speed Rail and the $15-billion Makkah Mass Rail Transit project.

The $12-billion Jeddah Metro and $22-billion Riyadh Metro too are gaining traction, with significant project awards expected this year.

On the Qatar scenario, Tabari said conservative estimates have pegged the country’s spend on its integrated rail programme to be in the region of $40 billion, with the Doha Metro being crucial to address the need for urban transport in the context of the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

"We have made significant progress and are tendering for many of the high profile rail projects in the GCC. We have entered into strategic partnerships with leading rail experts from around the world on several of these tenders, and are very confident about securing a major portion of the MEP works on some of these projects," he added.

Tabrai said DSR's work on the Dubai Airport Passenger Movement Rail, along with the company's rich experience in the development of rail networks, depot, tunnels and stations proves its strong engineering foundation, and our familiarity with the region’s safety standards.

"Our ability to offer European engineering skills, with our extensive regional footprint through Drake & Scull’s global network of offices, and our proven track record of major rail works remains unmatched and we look forward to helping create a robust rail network in the regional that will prove to be a boon to the region’s commerce and local population," he added.-TradeArabia News Service