Ma'an:The Aqaba-Shidiya-Ma'an railway project is being hailed as a strategic initiative crucial for Jordan and the surrounding region, promising significant economic and developmental benefits for the southern governorates, according to Prime Minister Jafar Hassan.
According to Jordan News Agency, the implementation phase of this major national project has just been launched, with backing from His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. The railway is set to enhance Aqaba's role as a crucial trade and logistics gateway and establish Ma'an as a key player in storage and distribution. Future rail connections are anticipated to link Aqaba with Syria, Turkey, and the Mediterranean.
The project's foundation stone was laid under Royal patronage, witnessed by a high-level Emirati delegation, marking the transition from planning to execution. This step aligns with the Economic Modernisation Vision, aiming to move the Jordanian National Railway Network project forward.
With an investment estimated at $2.5 billion, the Aqaba-Shidiya-Ma'an railway is a cornerstone of the government's Economic Modernisation Vision and current implementation strategy. It represents the first step in developing an integrated national railway network connecting railways with ports and logistics hubs.
The network will include two main routes linking Aqaba's Industrial Port with phosphate production sites in Shidiya and potash production sites in Ghor Al-Safi, as well as a link between Shidiya and Ma'an. The planned network will cover 403 kilometers, with the capacity to transport approximately 16 million tons of phosphate and potash annually.
Ma'an will become a logistics hub for goods handling and distribution, especially after the Ma'an-Aqaba dry port's completion. The integrated transport system will use the railway for high-volume freight, while trucks will handle local and international markets. Ma'an is expected to distribute goods to eight regional markets.
The project anticipates reducing transport costs for phosphate and potash by around $40 million annually and creating approximately 5,000 jobs in Jordan's southern region.