27 April 2016, 10:00
ALE’s Saudi Arabia branch has secured a contract to transport 1,186 railcars, which would stretch to nearly 17km in length if all lined up. This is expected to be one of the largest amount of rail components ever to be transported in Saudi Arabia.
The railcars are being manufactured in Poland and shipped to Gdansk, before their onward journey by ship to Dammam in Saudi Arabia. From Dammam, ALE will receive and transport the railcars 215km over two days to the Saudi Arabian Railways yard at Nariyah in the Eastern Province of the country.
The railcars, measuring 14m long, 4.6m high, and 3m wide and weighing up to 30t each, will arrive in shipments of 60 railcars a time, over a period of 22 months.
Andrew Spink, General Manager for ALE’s branch in Saudi Arabia, said; “As the infrastructure sector continues to develop in Saudi Arabia, with the increase in construction of metros and railways, ALE has made significant investments in equipment and expertise to help meet the requirements of clients in the region. We are involved with the transportation of heavy concrete segments on the Riyadh metro, and recently we have transported several shipments of rail cars and locomotives.
“We are delighted to have secured this contract; to be involved in the movement of the largest amount of railcars the country has ever received is an indicator of our increasing presence and capabilities in Saudi Arabia’s growing civil infrastructure sector.”
The railcars are currently in Poland and the first shipment of railcars will be received in Saudi Arabia in July.