Dubai RTA hands out metro and tram contract to international consortium

The consortium will now operate and maintain Dubai's metro and tram network

A French-Japanese consortium has won the contract for the operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro as well as the operation of the Dubai Tram. The contract covers 15 years (nine base years and six years up for renewal) and amounts to approximately AED542 million per annum.

The consortium consists of three companies – Keolis, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, and Mitsubishi Corporation. The award of the contract follows a public tender released by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in which four consortiums and international firms specialising in rail operation and maintenance took part. Proposals made were analysed and the contract was awarded to the French-Japanese consortium for submitting the best technical and financial proposals.

The consortium will operate and maintain the Dubai Metro, as well as the Dubai Tram from 8 September 2021. Before that, RTA says preparations will be made for the handover of assets and systems from the current operator to the new one to ensure a safe and smooth operation of Dubai Metro and Tram, once the contract kicks in.

Outsourcing the maintenance and operation of Dubai’s networks was key to upholding a high level of service according to His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.

“RTA is keen on ensuring the highest standards of security and safety for metro and tram riders and achieving competitive performance indicators of operation and punctuality of journeys, as well as improving the quality of services provided to metro and tram riders,” he said.

“The operation of the metro and tram requires experience in the scheduling of the metro and tram services and all the sophisticated mechanical, computing and electronic operational systems,” he explained.

“These specialist companies have extensive international maintenance experience by dealing with experts and specialists of the industry across the globe.

“The outsourcing of these jobs will also reduce the operational and maintenance costs of the metro and tram by benefiting from the high performance of those companies in delivering top quality services at lower costs and their continuous efforts to reduce operational costs.

“The outsourcing of metro and tram operation and maintenance is a common global practice across famous metro lines in cities like London, Singapore, Paris and Sydney,” concluded Al Tayer.

“We are honoured to have been selected, along with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering and Mitsubishi Corporation, by RTA to operate and maintain Dubai’s sophisticated driverless metro system and catenary-free tram system,” said Keolis Group CEO Marie-Ange Debon.

“Keolis boasts extensive experience in managing automated metro and tram networks, and as a multimodal operator working closely with 300 public transport authorities every day to guarantee safe, reliable and passenger-focused mobility solutions, we look forward to nurturing a collaborative partnership with RTA to deliver their vision of smart, sustainable and convenient public transportation for the city.”