Postponed from 21.12.2014 to 18.01.2015, the deadline for the contract to execute Segment 1 (207 km) of the 2,235 km Oman National Railway network, from the industrial port of Sohar to Buraimi, on the Sultanate’s border with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Segment 1 includes more than 70 viaducts for 27.5 km and 10 tunnels for 4.7 km, two of which are 1.57 km long.

The Oman Railway Company (ORC) selected 18 consortia among 34 (constituted by 95 local and international companies) for a design-and-build civil infrastructure and railway track contract and 5 consortium among 9 (formed by 14 local and international firms) for technology systems.

The successful bidder for civil work will  have to subcontract IT systems to any one of the five consortia prequalified for the Rail Technology Systems package. The qualified companies list is valid for four years.

The construction work of Segment 1 is expected to start by the first quarter of 2015.

The Segment 1 is expected to be operational by 2018 and the railway will connect the Sultanate's port cities – Sohar, Duqm and Salalah – with other GCC countries.

In August, 2013 the Italian company Italferr was awarded the contract for consultancy services for preliminary design of the national railway project. The whole railway will have 30 small stations, 10 interim stations, six large stations and eight marshalling yards. Visit http://www.motc.gov.om/tabid/397/Default.aspx  and http://www.omanprojects.com/Member/MoreInfo.asp?LoginId=77&LoginName=osco&ProjectId=93288. Project n. MPP2357-O. 49/14.