RTA awards French-Japanese consortium contract for the Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram
Operation and maintenance contract stipulates nine base years and six renewable years
The operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro and the operation of the Dubai Tram will now be handled by a consortium comprising Keolis, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, and Mitsubishi Corporation.
The consortium will replace Serco, which has managed the O&M of the Dubai Metro since its launch in 2009. The contract will begin starting September 8, prior to which preparations will be made for the handover of assets and systems from the current operator to ensure a safe and smooth operation of Dubai Metro and Tram.
According to a statement, the contract covers 15 years (nine base years and six renewable years) and amounts to approximately $143m per annum.
Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer the director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors remotely signed the contract on behalf of RTA with Keolis’ group CEO Marie-Ange Debon, Aki Heiko Nozaka, director of Investment and Services at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, and Toru Kimura, general manager of Mitsubishi Corporation.
The contract was awarded following a public tender by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in which four consortiums and international firms specialised in rail O&M 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 statement explained.
