Etihad Rail has launched a new direct freight rail service connecting Fujairah Terminals to Abu Dhabi's Industrial City (ICAD), running on the UAE's National Rail Network. The route allows importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors and logistics companies to move containerised cargo between the two hubs by rail. Customs clearance and cargo inspections are now available directly at ICAD, which has been assigned the UN location code "AECAD" to support the new service. Officials said the scheduled rail service offers greater capacity than road transport while producing lower carbon emissions than long-haul trucking. "By combining rail connectivity with customs-enabled inland cargo handling, we are supporting customers to move goods more efficiently," said Omar Alsebeyi, CEO of Etihad Rail Freight. Saif Al Mazrouei, CEO of the Ports Cluster at AD Ports Group, added: "Strong trade corridors are built by connecting gateways with the industrial and commercial ecosystems they serve." The new link forms part of a wider UAE push to strengthen logistics infrastructure and reduce reliance on road freight along key industrial corridors, as the country continues to expand its national rail network to support trade and manufacturing growth.