Friday, Apr 15, 2011
Gulf News
Abu Dhabi Finmeccanica, one of Italy’s leading international technology groups, had a strong presence in the 59th UITP (International Association of Public Transport) World Congress and Exhibition, which was held in Dubai from last Sunday to Wednesday.
The group operates through its companies Ansaldo Breda, Ansaldo STS and Breda Menarinibus in global railway and mass transit transportation.
Dr Caio Mussolini, head of Finmeccanica’s UAE office, and Issam Alain Chehimi, UAE and GCC AnsaldoSTS resident manager, told Gulf News that they are happy to enter the UAE market. They expressed enthusiasm to develop a railway and expanded transportation in the Gulf.
Potential
Regarding the Italian company’s plans for the future, and its goals for the region, Mussolini told Gulf News: “Let me highlight the high potential of the market in terms of transportation in the Middle East and the GCC specifically. Despite the economic downturn we still have big hopes for this market and now we can see the green light from different sides, for example the Fifa 2022 World Cup in Qatar has boosted the market, specifically the transportation market in Qatar and the whole region.”
“Also, we can see now a new project in Abu Dhabi ‘Shah Habshan Ruwais Project’, which is the first section of the GCC railway line that starts from Muscat, Oman and runs all the way to Kuwait, and is scheduled to open by 2017.”
He added: “Moreover, soon we will be finishing the Light Rail Vehicles located in Princess Noura University for Women in the north of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, which is 11.5km long and will serve the whole campus.
“It was signed in 2009 and we will be opening in few days,” Mussolini said.
Regarding new projects in the region, Mussolini said: “We are working on a project in Qatar [called the] Lusail Tramway Project and it’s nearly finished.”
“We have seen that also the Department of Transport [in] Abu Dhabi has progressed in the many transport related studies with their partners and we will see the issue of the studies very soon. In Kuwait also the transport design study of the contract is progressing as well.”
Recovery
He added: “So there is a very important market here, despite the... [economic downturn], it is now recovering and the market will be resuming.
“Now we are in a very demanding market, and we are here to monitor the market, follow up client by client and focus on the needs of this specific market,” he said.
The Depart-ment of Transport [in] Abu Dhabi has progressed in many transport related studies with their partners and we will see the issue of the studies very soon.”
Caio Mussolini
Head, Finmeccanica’s UAE office
By Abdulla Rasheed?Abu Dhabi Editor
Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
