Transport

The transport and storage sector contributed some Dh35bn ($9.5bn) to the emirate’s economy in 2013, equivalent to 3.67% of overall GDP. Sector GDP for the year was up 7.1% on 2012 figures in real terms, with its real compound annual growth rate for the period between 2009 and 2013 standing at over 12%. Several major new infrastructure projects indicate that the rapid development and growth of the transport sector is set to continue. The current expansion of the emirate’s rail capacity is seeing the construction of 1200-km network that will connect industrial centres with sea- and airports, while the emirate’s ports, which are primarily used for cargo transport and reshipping, are now being paired with industrial zones and manufacturing centres to integrate with the logistics offering. In the aviation sector, a new terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport will occupy a 700,000-sq-metre footprint on completion in 2017, making it the largest building in all of Abu Dhabi.

This chapter contains an interview with Faris Al Mazrouei, CEO, Etihad Rail.