By: Logistics Middle east

Etihad Rail has launched a national awareness campaign aimed at accelerating the transfer of long haul freight movements from road to rail, targeting logistics providers, manufacturers, and heavy industrial operators across the UAE.

The campaign was launched on February 2 as industrial output and freight volumes continue to rise, placing sustained pressure on road capacity, delivery reliability, and operating costs.

Etihad Rail is will by the end of 2026 become an immediately available solution capable of absorbing bulk and high volume cargo flows on fixed schedules.

Freight capacity and network utilisation

Etihad Rail’s freight network spans nearly 900km and directly connects ports, industrial zones, and logistics hubs across the Emirates.

The operator said the network is designed for predictable, corridor based movements of bulk and high volume cargo, offering schedule certainty that is increasingly difficult to maintain through road transport alone.

Each freight train is capable of carrying the equivalent of up to 300 heavy trucks. The company said this capacity allows manufacturers and logistics providers to move large volumes in single movements, reducing congestion on key road corridors while improving delivery consistency for time sensitive production

Etihad Rail said its services are already supporting sectors including construction materials, petrochemicals, metals, and containerised cargo, with additional capacity available as volumes increase.

According to the operator, shifting long haul and bulk movements to rail also enables better utilisation of trucking fleets by reserving road transport for short haul and last mile activity, where it delivers the greatest operational value.

Industry messaging and logistics economics

Omar Alsebeyi, Acting CEO at Etihad Rail Freight, said the campaign reflects changing priorities for industrial shippers. He said logistics decisions are increasingly driven by certainty and cost control as much as transit time.

“For heavy industry, logistics is no longer just about speed. Delays, congestion, and volatility carry real costs,” Alsebeyi said, adding that rail freight addresses these pressures by offering consistent capacity and predictable schedules.

Etihad Rail said the campaign highlights how rail integration can help companies stabilise transport costs, reduce inventory buffers, and plan production with greater confidence as volumes scale. The messaging also stresses that the initiative is not intended to displace road freight but to rebalance freight flows across modes.

“Road freight remains essential, particularly for last mile delivery,” Alsebeyi said. “What rail does is remove long haul and bulk movements from roads, easing congestion and freeing trucks to operate where they are most effective.”

The campaign will run across trade media, industry forums, and digital platforms, supported by operational case studies demonstrating existing customer use cases.