Dec. 13 – Huawei announced its collaboration with Selex Elsag, a Finmeccanica company, for the construction of the first UAE railway line, to be completed by the end of 2014. Huawei, a global leader in providing solutions for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), has been selected by SELEX Elsag as a supplier of mobile (GSM-R), optical and IP networks. This first section of the emirate railway will connect the urban and suburban areas of the United Arab Emirates and open up new links with Saudi Arabia and Oman, thanks to the 1,200 km to be constructed by 2017. The Huawei wireless network will guarantee a highly sophisticated mobile communications along the 266 km line connecting the Shah oil fields to the rest of the region. The line will also allow for the transportation of more than 7 million tons of sulfur granules per year from Habshan to Ruwais for export purposes. The competition for the railway construction contract saw the participation of 20 consortia, and was recently awarded from Etihad Rail Company, a UAE rail operator, to a group composed of the Italian Saipem (part of ENI Group) and Maire Tecnimont, together with the Indian company Dodsal Engineering & Construction PTE Limited. The Joint Venture then selected Ansaldo STS (Finmeccanica Group) for the realization of the whole technological component of the line, both for the traffic safety part, and the information dissemination procedure.
