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Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister has signed three contracts worth $624m with Saudi Arabian Railway, aimed at implementing a number of projects related to the North-South Railway.
Beginning from Riyadh, the 2,750km railway will connect the Saudi Arabian capital with the northern town of Hudaitha, passing by Sudair, Qassim, Hail and Al Jouf. It also links the phosphate and bauxite mines in Jelamaid and Baitha, with industrial plants in Ras Al Khair, Jubail and Dammam.
“Last year, we conducted the experimental operation of the railway for transporting phosphate from Jelamaid to Ras Al Khair,” Ibrahim Al Assaf, said in a report carried by Arab News, a Saudi Arabian daily newspaper.
“It currently transports 12,500 tons of phosphate in one trip. It is the total weight of that which can be carried by 500 large trucks,” he added.
The contracts were signed to establish five passenger stations, a maintenance complex in Naeeriya and 36 maintenance workshops, a technical support office and housing units for maintenance staff.
Al Rashid Trading and Contracting won the first contract, worth $418.6m, to establish the five stations in Majmaam Qassim, Hail, Al Jouf and Qurayat. Each station will cost approximately $83.83m. The project is scheduled to be completed in 24 months.
The $132m contract for the maintenance complex was won by Yabi Markazi Company, a statement by the Saudi Press Agency said. That project is expected to be completed within 18 months. The contract stipulates that the company will provide maintenance to locomotives and carriages as well as all the railway tracks, this also includes fuel supply stations.
Sulaiman Al Qudaibi and Sons won the third and final contract, which was valued at $72.41m. It will be required to establish 36 small maintenance workshops along the railway line, including 15 for the maintenance of railway tracks and communication systems. 11 buildings will house workers and eight administrative buildings.
Given its importance to the pace of industrial development, the Saudi Arabian government has made the North-South Railway a priority. It will ferry minerals from mines in the north and central zones at Jelamaid and Zubairah, to processing plants at Ras al Khair in the east.
