Etihad Rail Freight has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Fishermen Cooperative Society to move fresh fish by rail from Al Sila’ Port to Abu Dhabi Fish Market, widening the role of the national rail network in time-sensitive food logistics and giving local fishermen access to temperature-controlled transport.The initiative places seafood among the expanding range of commodities being handled by Etihad Rail Freight, a subsidiary of Etihad Rail responsible for freight services. The shipment is being carried in refrigerated containers designed to preserve freshness, reduce handling delays and offer a more predictable alternative to conventional road-based movement between landing points and urban markets.
The route links Al Sila’ Port, a key fishing and marine services hub in the Al Dhafra region, with Abu Dhabi Fish Market, one of the capital’s main seafood trading points. The arrangement is intended to support fishermen by improving the reliability of deliveries, helping them bring fresh catch to market under controlled conditions and with less exposure to temperature fluctuations.
Cold-chain efficiency is critical for seafood because quality can deteriorate quickly when products are exposed to inconsistent handling, heat or transit delays. By using refrigerated containers and a planned freight movement, Etihad Rail Freight is positioning rail as a practical option for perishable goods, not only for bulk industrial cargo. The move also reflects the company’s push to offer integrated first- and last-mile services, covering collection at source, rail transport and final delivery.
The partnership has a community dimension as well as a logistics focus. Fishing remains closely linked to the UAE’s coastal heritage and local food economy, while the sector also faces pressure from rising operating costs, competition from imports and the need for faster distribution channels. Improved access to cold-chain transport can help smaller operators reduce spoilage, protect margins and meet higher food safety expectations in urban retail and wholesale markets.
Etihad Rail’s freight operations have already been expanding across sectors including construction materials, industrial goods, vehicles and consumer-related cargo. Freight services began operating across the national network in February 2023, giving logistics operators a rail-based option across a 900km system connecting major cities, ports, industrial areas and border gateways from Ghuwaifat to Fujairah.
The network is designed to support 60 million tonnes of cargo capacity by 2030, with freight activity linked to 11 terminals and four major ports. Its wider commercial strategy is built around shifting part of the UAE’s freight load from roads to rail, reducing congestion, cutting emissions and improving supply-chain planning for businesses that need dependable long-distance movement.
For food logistics, the seafood shipment is notable because it tests rail’s suitability for goods that require strict timing and temperature control. Freight rail is often associated with heavy cargo, but logistics operators are increasingly using multimodal systems for perishables when the cold chain can be maintained from origin to destination. The UAE’s demand for chilled and frozen logistics has been growing alongside population growth, tourism, e-grocery, hospitality and higher consumption of fresh food.
The move also supports national food security priorities by strengthening domestic distribution channels for locally sourced seafood. Better logistics cannot by itself resolve pressures on fisheries, but it can improve market access and reduce losses between catch and sale. That is particularly important for fishermen operating from ports outside the largest urban centres, where distance from wholesale markets can affect returns.
Etihad Rail Freight has been seeking to broaden its commercial partnerships as the national rail network moves from infrastructure delivery into operational scale-up. The seafood service follows other specialised freight milestones, including rail transport of passenger vehicles with Al Masaood Automobiles, signalling an effort to demonstrate flexibility across cargo categories.
The environmental argument is also central to the company’s freight pitch. Rail can move large volumes with lower emissions per tonne-kilometre than road haulage when services are efficiently scheduled and connected to terminals. For refrigerated goods, the sustainability benefit depends on maintaining reliable cold-chain power and minimising additional road legs, making integrated planning essential.
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