GCC rail network plan has 'slowed' but huge potential benefits for Oman, say industry leaders

Muscat: Rail network plans to connect Oman and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries have slowed, a senior official from Sohar Freezone said.
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"Rail network plans have slowed down a bit. But if other countries come forward to take it further, then Oman will cooperate," Jamil Aziz, Cheif Executive Officer at Sohar Freezone, said.

"If the rail network comes true, then Oman will benefit a lot because the network's starting and finishing point will be in Oman," the official said adding that Sohar will be at doorsteps of the GCC markets.

Meanwhile, Mark Rudman, acting project director from Hill International, said that the rail network plans are still on the cards.

Recently, there were reports that the deadline for the GCC Rail network has been moved back three years to 2021,

Quoting UAE’s Minister for Infrastructure Development Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, who also chairs the Federal Transport Authority’s Land and Maritime arm, there were reports that the rail network could move again, depending on the appetite within each member state for bringing the project forward.
He said that the decision to shift the deadline to 2021 from 2018 was taken at a meeting between GCC transport ministers in April. He added that it is likely to be discussed at another meeting of ministers by the end of the year.

"We know for sure that 2018 was not a possible date, but we just wanted to have a ceiling," said Al Nuaimi.